Emphasis Preaching Journal

Henri Nouwen tells about a man who meditated by the Ganges River. One morning he saw a scorpion floating on the water. When the scorpion drifted near the old man he reached to rescue it but was stung by the scorpion. A bit later he tried again and was stung again, the bite swelling his hand painfully and giving him much pain. A man passing by saw what was happening and yelled at the meditator, "Hey, stupid old man, what's wrong with you? Only a fool would risk his life for the sake of an ugly, evil creature.