Have you ever heard the story of the Frog and the Scorpion? Its a sad little tale that can be used to examine many facets of human existence. Today, however, I would like to apply it to the folly of misguided trust.
Our story begins late one evening, after a very hard rain. A frog was busy swimming on the banks of a river when he noticed a very pecuiler fellow watching him from the shore. It was a scorpion! He had never met a scorpion before, but had heard enough about them to know that they had a very nasty sting that could kill the largest of frogs in a matter of seconds.
“Hello, Mr. Frog. If you don’t mind, I would like to have a word with you for a moment.” The frog was leary of this creature at first, but his curiosity was getting the best of him. The scorpion had big red pincers for hands and a long spiked tail that hung high over his back. The frog was very inquisitive and didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to meet a new creature. Besides, he seemed like a nice enough fellow from a distance so he decided to entertain his request for conversation.
“”Yes, Mr. Scorpion? I see you there. How can I help you?”
“I’m in a bit of a pinch, Mr Frog. You see, the rains have washed out my normal path home and I am stranded on this side of the river. My wife and kids are waiting for me on the other side and will be worried if I don’t make it back in time for supper. Would it be too much of me to ask you for a ride across on your back?”
The frog thought intently about the scorpions proposal. “You seem like a nice enough fellow, but I have heard nasty things about you scorpions. Especially about that sharp barb you have on the end of your tail. Isn’t it filled with poison?”
“Indeed it is, Mr. Frog. But I would never sting you, my friend. If I did, I would be sentencing myself to death. We scorpions can’t swim and that means I would drown with you in the river. I would never do anything that foolish.” The frog looked over his shoulder at the churning, flooded river. The scorpions argument seemed very sound and logical, so he decided to accept his proposal.
“OK then, Mr. Scorpion. Hop on.” The frog replied ”We mustn’t keep your family waiting”. The scorpion eagerly obliged and crawled onto the frogs back. The waters were rough and the frog had to paddle extra hard to stay afloat with the increased weight on him. The Scorpion tried his best to comfort the frog by making small talk about the weather and such. He even told a joke or two. The frog enjoyed the company and could not think of any other time where he had so much fun making a new friend. The frogs older friends desperately tried to get his attention. “Don’t do it, Freddie Frog! He’s a scorpion! He’ll sting you!” But he wasn’t listening. He had made a new friend. One that in a few minutes had shown him more attention than anyone else on the river. He was honored to have the pleasure of carrying him back home to his family.
Suddenly, the frog felt a terrible pain in the center of his back. He became extremely nauseated and his vision was blurry. He instantly recognized what had happened to him. The scorpion had stung him. As he felt his life beginning to slip away, he rolled over to confront his attacker. “Why, Mr. Scorpion? Why did you do it? Now we’ll both drown.”
The scorpion looked down at the frog with a tear in his eye and shrugged his shoulders. “It was nothing personal, Mr. Frog. I had to sting you. You see, I’m a scorpion. It’s in my nature.” Then scorpion and frog both perished underneath the waves of the churning river.
Many of you reading this, even if you had not heard the tale before, could see the inevitable, dark outcome before reaching the end of the story. Unfortunately, many of us also find ourselves in the same situation when it comes to relationships. We foolishly come into agreement with a person or a group of persons who obviously have no good intentions for us. But yet, in spite of the facts, we blindly paddle out into the deep waters of the river of commitment, trusting that the scorpion we are carrying wont sting us.
A pastor once gave me a piece of advice several years ago that I have held closely to my heart to this day. He said “Never get into agreement with people who aren’t in agreement with God”. The Bible puts it this way;
14Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” 17“Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18“I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NIV
Sometimes we are so desperate to be loved, accepted, to get a new business off the ground, or even to get a new job that we sacrifice our morals and/or beliefs to satisfy the will of the masses. Our loved ones somtimes frantically try to persuade us from our indescrestions high atop the levees of life. But stubbornly, we place our trust in people instead of using the wisdom and knowledge that God has bestowed upon us and inadvertently end up perishing beneath the churning waves of misguided trust in the river of commitment.
Why can’t we see the inevitable dark outcome of our own story? Maybe its the allure and thrill of danger from the scorpions claws. Or it could be the fear of loneliness and rejection. After all, life as a Christian can be difficult and temptations and trials abound us. Either way, we reject Godly counsel and choose to follow our own will. Don’t misunderstand me. Just because someone has the title Pastor, Deacon, Bishop, or Reverend in front of their name doesn’t mean that they are excluded from being scorpions. This is what Jesus had to say about them in the book of Matthew;
15“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them”. Matthew 7:15-20 NIV
So what kind of fruit should a Christian be bearing? The Apostle Paul explains it this way;
16″So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit”. Galatians 5:16-25 NIV
As Christian Believers, we should be wise and use caution when committing ourselves in relationships be they, romantic, business, or even with the local church. We should earnestly seek God’s direction and discernment and the Godly counsel of friends and family prior to dedicating ourselves to risky commitments. The tale of the Frog and the Scorpion can easily become our own story of misguided trust if we are not careful. Be Blessed, My Friends. Be an Overcomer!
Bro. Jason Z. Hunt
Memory Verse: Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14 NIV
Memory Word 1: Commitment: the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself. a pledge or promise; obligation
Memory Word 2: Yoke: a device for joining together a pair of draft animals, esp. oxen, usually consisting of a crosspiece with two bow-shaped pieces, each enclosing the head of an animal.
Inspiring Music: “I Love You, Lord I Do” by VIP Mass Choir (featuring Pastor John P. Kee & Maranda Curtis) and “Believer” by Mary Mary
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