The folly of snap judgments of others is well illustrated by a story the late Bishop Potter of New York used to tell on himself.
He was sailing for Europe in one of the great trans-Atlantic liners. When he went on board, he found another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see his accommodations, he came up to the purser’s desk and inquired if he could leave his gold watch and other valuables in the ship’s safe. He explained that ordinarily he never availed himself of that privilege, but he had been to his cabin and had met the man who was to occupy the other berth and, judging from his appearance, he was afraid that he might not be a very trustworthy person.
The purser accepted the responsibility of caring for the valuables, and remarked, “It’s all right, bishop, I’ll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has been up here and left his for the same reason.”
One is reminded of the lines of Robbie Burns,
“Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us,
To see orsel’s as others see us.”
It is very easy to form snap judgments, only to find out afterward that they are utterly unfounded. “Love believeth all things, hopeth all things.”