I’ll like to share a wonderful story I heard today by a friend of mine in Russia. It’s about a monk and a scorpion. Enjoy.
Once in a monastery two monks walked about doing their morning duties. As they passed a small bowl, filled with rain, they saw a scorpion was drowning in the water.
One monk reached in to save the creature. As soon as his fingers touched the panicking Scorpion, it stung him and the monk dropped the Scorpion back into the water. The monk sighed, and reached back in. This time he got his grip a little firmer, but still dropped the Scorpion when he was stung. He kept reaching in, as his friend looked on in confusion.
After dozens of attempts, the other monk spoke up saying “Brother, why do you keep trying to save that scorpion? It stings you every time you come near it” the monk paused before reaching in again. As another sting bit into his hand, he smiled “Because it is his nature to sting, and my nature to save. Don’t forget brother, soon either I’ll stop feeling the pain of the sting and he will be saved, or he will stop being afraid and be saved.’ Compassion cannot be stopped so easily.’
What do you think about this story?
Photo credit: Wikipedia
“Jesus is your friend. The Friend. With a human heart, like yours. With loving eyes that wept for Lazarus. And he loves you as much as he loved Lazarus.” Saint Josemaría Escrivá — Godwin Delali Adadzie is a Catholic living in Ghana, West Africa. A former smoker (Fish smoker now a Vegetarian) but still loves to drink a lot (of water). He attempts to blog at the Fair (HubBlogs with GADEL), the Good (Blessed Virgin our Mother Mary Immaculate), the Bad (GADEL Said What?) and the Ugly (Catholic Fiction: Responding to Myths & Half-Truths)
9 thoughts on “The tale of the Monk and the Scorpion”
The monk is a likeable example of a image of God many of us give up in the first sting, specialy with strangers. With our relative we spend a little longer. WITH OUE ENEMIES WE NEVER TRY … BUT we should be the same with all around, that God let us reached, we just are the carriers of The Word of God and the body that can do great things in His name through the heart of Mother Mary, amen.
I agree with you 100% Casandra.
First reaction: Why not tip the bowl over? Water rushes out…scorpion is saved!
Second Reaction: Love it. Very profound. All i can say is I pray that I soon stopm being afraid. Sometimes I still am.
Great way to illustrate God’s perseverance. I think I’ve often been the scorpion, but He never will stop trying to save me.
I find myself wondering as someone who works in ministry I am more often the scorpion that I am the monk.
I think I’ve been more of a scorpion all my life. May Christ help us all. Amen.
I’m so grateful that the members of the Trinity are the monk… I need to try to be more like the monk too…
Excellent tale, thank you Godwin. I have posted another scorpion tale on my blog, but it is a Muslim one, for comparison.
Hi Elizabeth,
With the help of God and the graces available to us in the Sacraments, we’re very hopeful to become like the monk in this tale.
Hi Richard,
I’ve seen a Buddhist version of this tale too. 🙂
God bless.
Delali