Orthodox Parables and Stories: "Small sins"

One afternoon, among the many who went to confess in their opinion small and insignifican sins, there came a terrible robber, who was very sullen. He also confessed his sins, but they were many and great.

When they all confessed, the spiritual father called them to counsel them:

"I want to give you an obedience." "You," and he shows the people who confessed small sins "will take a little stone and throw it as far as you can." "And you, "he says to the robber "take this large stone and throw it as far as you can."

After everyone had done what the spiritual father had told them. He went on to say:

"Now let all of you go and get the stones you threw and bring them back to me."

The robber immediately found the large stone and brought it to the spiritual father. But the others had a hard time finding their stone. They searched, but to no avail."

"You see… ", the wise elder tells them," that the little stones are lost. So are small sins. They are small and we do not pay attention to them, but they soil our soul. But when we commit a great sin, it weighs on us and we realize it, so easily and with humiliation, we confess it. Of course we must avoid the big sins, but we must also be careful of the small ones, because when a lot of small sins are committed, then a lot of weight is created and we get used to the sin.