Judging others: Moses and the Shepherd

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The Sabad Project
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A shepherd in conversation with God

In Rumi’s Masnavi, there’s a beautiful legend about a young shepherd who sits under a tree and has a heartfelt conversation with God.

“God, they say you are one, and that you are alone. So am I. You have no family, and neither do I. You have no home, and I don’t either. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you lived with me? We would no longer be alone. I will take good care of you. I’ll give you fresh goat milk every day. I’ll wash your clothes and comb your hair. If you get lice, I’ll pick them out for you. If your sandals break, I know how to mend them. And if you fall ill, I have knowledge of herbs to treat your fever and colds.”

As Moses passes by, he hears the shepherd talking and asks, “Who are you speaking to?”

The shepherd replies, “I’m having a conversation with God.”

Moses, shocked by what he perceives as blasphemy, rebukes the shepherd sharply: “God is not your uncle! He feeds everyone—do you think you can feed Him? He clothes everyone—do you think you can wash His clothes? He heals every disease—do you think you can cure Him?”

The shepherd, taken aback by such harsh words, walks away in embarrassment. A little further down the road, tears in his eyes, he mumbles, “Just inviting you has caused such a scandal. Please stay where you are; I am better off alone.”

That evening, Moses struggles to concentrate during his prayers. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot feel the Divine presence as he usually does. Desperate, he cries out, “Why don’t you grace me today? Where have you hidden?”

He hears a voice respond, “Moses, I sent you as a messenger to connect people with Me, not to drive them away. Each person has their own way of expressing love for Me. What may seem like poison to you could be honey to another. The sincerity of the shepherd is far more precious to Me than the scholarship of the learned. His ‘wrong’ words, spoken from the heart, are dearer to Me than a hundred ‘right’ words devoid of love. Those who know the conventions are one kind; those whose souls burn with love are another.”

Moses realizes his mistake and is filled with regret. He runs to find the shepherd, tracing his footprints in the sand. When he finally spots him, he reassures him, “God has revealed to me that there are no strict rules for worship. No right or wrong words—only those that come from the heart matter to Him.”

But when Moses looks into the shepherd’s eyes, he sees that it no longer matters to him. The shepherd replies, “I have gone beyond that. Bless your scolding and your arm. The whip of your rebuke has made the horse of my soul fly higher. I have crossed the earth and the stars. Words cannot describe what I feel. I have lost myself in the Divine. The person looking into the mirror, sees an image of himself, not that of the mirror. The breath that the flute player puts into the flute, does it belong to the flute? No, it belongs to the flute player. I am now the flute.”

References:
  • Katha by Giani Pinderpal Singh ji
  • Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī, and Coleman Barks. The Essential Rumi. Harper, 1995.
  • Sorkhabi, Rasoul, “Moses and the Shepherd: Rumi’s Parable on Two Approaches to God,” Quest Magazine, Theosophical Society.

Reflection Question:

This tale illustrates that the spirit of the seeker is more important than the external forms of worship. However, it also teaches us about how we treat others. Often, when we learn more about truth and better ways of living, we may be tempted to judge those who don’t seem to be doing the ‘right’ thing. How do you resist this temptation to judge? What helps you be compassionate toward someone you perceive as doing ‘wrong’?

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Comments

2 responses to “Judging others: Moses and the Shepherd”

  1. Uthra5 Avatar
    Uthra5

    In the beginning stages of practicing a non-judgmental attitude, one may not realize the need to avoid judgment until they understand how detrimental it can be.

    In my experience, I’ve observed the following:

    1) Expressing judgment can negatively affect the quality of a relationship.  

    2) The other person may become defensive and unwilling to consider or adopt the so-called “right” approach.  

    3) In some cases, it can prompt the other person to become secretive, refrain from sharing their thoughts, and even resort to lying.  

    4) We may lose our peace of mind after a judgmental encounter (as happened to Moses in the story).

    Initially, when I became aware of the harmful effects of being judgmental, I began practicing non-judgmental behavior in my expressions, i.e., in terms of actions and words. While it was easy to be genuinely non-judgmental toward certain issues or people, in other cases, I continued to feel judgmental internally but refrained from expressing it. In these instances, while relationships improved and people became more open to sharing what they were up to, not addressing my internal sense of judgment opened a new set of problems.

    1) Frustration would build up, and without an outlet, I would lose my peace of mind, so I had to find a ‘safe space’ to express it.  

    2) This created a lack of integrity—how I behaved outwardly and how I felt internally were at odds, leading to a loss of authenticity and a sense of wearing masks. (It’s worth noting that it’s nearly impossible to wear masks in close relationships)  

    3) A more dangerous consequence was that my inner judgmental nature fed my inner critic. What you do to others, you unconsciously do to yourself. Even when people outwardly seem nice, you may feel that they are judging you, and worse, you start caring deeply about what others think of you. It was only after consciously working on letting go of my internal judgment of others, over a period of time, that I felt relieved from my inner critic.

    This leaves us with the realization that the only way to grow is to become genuinely non-judgmental. As the shepherd in the story beautifully points out: “The person looking into the mirror sees an image of themselves, not the mirror.” Our judgment of others speaks volumes about ourselves—our narrow perceptions and our strong attachment to how things “should” be. As we work on these: expanding our perspective to accommodate multiple points of view and letting go of our rigid ideas about how things should be, we slowly stop judging others and ourselves. We begin to acknowledge that everyone has their own lessons to learn and their own pace for learning. When this becomes our reality, compassion for ourselves and others follows naturally.

    And perhaps, if we suggest a ‘right’ approach from a compassionate and non-judgmental space, the other person might be more open to our suggestions.

    PS: Another worthy topic to consider is – How do we handle being on the receiving end of judgment from others? Maybe we can have a story on that in the future. Thank you!

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    1. The Sabad Project Avatar
      The Sabad Project

      Thank you for sharing your reflections and experiences, Uthra. I can relate to many of the challenges you’ve highlighted, especially the question of what to do when we disagree with someone’s actions or thoughts. The concept of being a “soul on a journey,” as discussed by Mother and Sister Shivani of Brahma Kumaris, has been particularly enlightening for me. It reminds us that everyone is navigating their own path, shaped by experiences we may not fully understand.

      When we expect our loved ones—be it children, partners, parents, or friends—to meet our expectations, it often leads to conflict. Remembering that everyone is a soul on a journey, a “rishi in the making,” helps us respect them for who they are becoming, rather than getting caught up in how they currently appear.

      I found Alcyone’s suggestion to be a wonderful complement to this idea, encouraging us to see the potential in everyone rather than their shortcomings. By nurturing that positive potential, we contribute to the cause of evolution. If we focus on flaws, we only reinforce them. Ultimately, we have a choice: to be a force for evolution or to hinder it.

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