The Snake & The Man

Several years ago I heard a psychologist speak at a co-dependant meeting I was attending, a category I knew I met all the criteria at the time. The noted psychologist told the story of a snake at the bottom of a mountain where a man was preparing to hike to the summit. The snake seeing the man and a possible opportunity slithered over to him ever so kindly and in its sweetest most gentle voice asked the climber, "Good sir, would you kindly take me to the top? You could put me in your pocket and take me out when you get to your destination." The man alarmed jumped back a step and peering down at the snake responded "No, you are a snake and you will bite me!" The snake thinking ahead of the man quickly exclaimed, "I promise I will not bite you. Just put me in your pocket and take me out when you arrive at the top. I will go on my way." The man began to ponder this as the snake did have an attitude of humbleness and after all seemed gentle enough. Maybe the man could help the snake. Being a person of compassion and wanting to help others the man finally, however with a slight hesitation, replied to the snake, "OK I will take you to the top." The man bent down, picked up the snake and slipped it ever so softly into his front coat pocket. After several long hours the man finally stood on the summit. He reached into his pocket and set the snake on the ground. The snake looked up at the man and without missing a beat bit the man on the shin of his leg sinking it's fangs deeply injecting lethal doses of venom. The man startled and confused writhing in pain began shouting at the snake, "You bit me!" The snake quickly began to slide it's slimy body across the rocks however turned back to face the man with a sneering look and eyes as evil as the night hissed, "But you knew I was a snake...."

How sad but true this story is for those who think they are making wise decisions but know in their hearts their choices will prove as fatal as the mans. The mans mistake came because he did not seek counsel about the snake nor did he trust in himself to believe what he knew to be true. The man let the snake tell him he was not a snake. He also went against common reason and began to believe that compassion meant listening to a false statement and acted on his heart of mercy rather than realizing sometimes compassion must say "No!"