In his book, Life is For Living, Eric Butterworth tells of an expedition of scientists who set out to capture a particular species of monkey.…Using their knowledge of a monkey’s ways, the scientists devised a trap consisting of a small jar with a long, narrow neck. Into the jar was placed handfulls of nuts. Several of these jars were placed along a jungle trail, being securely fastened to a tree.
A monkey, scenting the nuts in a bottle, would thrust his paw into the long neck and grasp a handfull of nuts. However, as soon as the monkey tried to withdraw its prize it found out that it’s clenched fist would not pass through the narrow bottle neck.
A similar thing happened with each bottle. All the monkeys stayed where they were, screaming in fear, unable to escape with the booty, and yet unwilling to let go…until the members of the expedition arrived and took them captive.
We may smile at the story about the monkeys, thinking how foolish they were, but in some respects are we not very much the same? Do we not frequently cling to the very things that hold us back? Do we not frequently remain captive through sheer unwillingness to let go?
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