Once abba John Colov was going upward to the Skete together with other monks. But their guide lost the way, because it had already got dark. Then the other monks said to abba John:
“What shall we do now?” “The guide lost the right way and took a wrong one.” “Don’t we endanger ourselves wandering to and fro?”
“If we say this to our brother he will get upset and ashamed”, abba said. “It’s better if I pretend I feel sick and cannot walk anymore, so that I should stay here till the morning.”
And this is what it was done indeed, exactly what the starets said. But the other monks said the same: “We can’t go any further either, so we shall stay here with you.”
And they stayed there till the morning, without reproving or upsetting that brother, who was their guide.
From the Small Patericon
