Some little boys watched some puppies at play.  One puppy ran to a neighbor’s house, picked up his newspaper, and began tearing it into pieces. A man ran from the house and began scolding the puppy, chasing it away. Then he saw the little boys watching. Taking advantage of the occasion, he walked over to them and talked with them about how improper it was for the puppies to be allowed to tear up newspapers that belonged to other people. All the little boys listened and heartily agreed that the puppy deserved the scolding.

The next day, as the boys watched again, another puppy went for the paper and began tearing it into pieces. Again, the man came out and frightened the puppy away, scolding it. He saw the boys, but one of them was very upset. When the boy was asked why he was upset, he explained, “You scolded that puppy.”

“Yes,” said the man, “but he was doing the same thing the other puppy did yesterday. You agreed that the other puppy deserved his scolding. Why are you upset over this today?”

The boy frankly admitted, “The puppy you scolded yesterday was somebody else’s. But that’s my puppy you scolded today.”

Sometimes adults are like that. They consider it proper to scold others for wrong-doing, but not “me and mine.”