COMPASSION CANNOT BE STOPPED BY EVIL DEEDS

Once a guru was walking with his disciples and, as they passed a small river, they saw a scorpion drowning in the water. The guru reached in to save the creature. As soon as his fingers touched the panicking Scorpion, it stung him. He dropped the Scorpion back into the water because of the pain. But he tried to save it the second and third time with a firmer grip. Again and again it stung and he could not but drop it into the water.

Then the disciples asked in confusion, “Master, 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 and smiled. He took a fallen leaf from the ground and pulled the scorpion out to safety. He finally said, “Because it is its nature to sting, and my nature to save. Don’t forget, soon, either I’ll stop feeling the pain of the sting and it will be saved, or it will stop being afraid and be saved. Compassion cannot be stopped so easily.”

What are the excuses we say to be good to others? Don’t we say that we are not good to some people who associate with us because, they are not good? How many times have we failed to be loving saying that others are not good to us? I know a person who is always rude in his behavior. The reason he behaves rudely is, he says, “The one who was supposed to be kind (referring to God) to me has not been kind; then why I should be kind to others.” (his children are born with physical and mental growth problems and they create all kind of havoc in their home!) In order to be kind to that person, never expect kindness from him. Be compassionate!

The life of Jesus Christ is a good example for compassion. He could pray for those who betrayed him, regardless of their betrayal. He could forgive them, despite their cruelty against him.  He could extend love in spite of the spiteful behavior from his ‘enemies’ (He was enemy to them but they were not enemies to him)

You can be good to others not because they are good to you; but just because you are compassionate. So is vice versa: You cannot be good to others just because you are not compassionate. And you blame others for you not being kind! 

Only those who are controlled by compassion can be good to others in spite of the evil reactions from others!