The scorpion and the frog

The Oxford Languages Google Dictionary defines a ‘fable’ as being “a short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral.” (Lexico, 2021)

Wikipedia describes the fable of the scorpion and the frog this way.

“A scorpion wants to cross a river but cannot swim, so it asks a frog to carry it across. The frog hesitates, afraid that the scorpion might sting it, but the scorpion argues that if it did that, they would both drown. The frog considers this argument sensible and agrees to transport the scorpion. The frog lets the scorpion climb on its back and begins to swim. Midway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog anyway, dooming them both. The dying frog asks the scorpion why it stung despite knowing the consequence, to which the scorpion replies: ‘I couldn't help it. It's in my nature.’” (Wikipedia 2021)

What’s the moral to this story? Is it that the frog shouldn’t have trusted the scorpion? Or is it about the scorpion’s inability to change its nature? 

I wondered if both the scorpion and the frog together represent my nature. The frog is the good side, the kind side. And the scorpion is the bad side, the side that lies, that does the wrong thing even when it hurts itself. 

That description of two sides to my nature fits perfectly with what the Bible has to say about human nature. The apostle Paul said, “So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:21-24, NIV)

The problem and the solution! We know what the problem is. The solution is deliverance through Jesus. What does that mean? We need to search the bible to answer that question. It’s well worth the time and effort. 

References:

“Fable” Lexico (powered by Oxford) 2021 https://www.lexico.com/definition/fable (5 August 2021)

“The Scorpion and the Frog” Wikipedia 2021 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scorpion_and_the_Frog (5 August 2021)