God,
I am anxious.
Reveal to me my true nature.
If scorpions cross my path, give me the grace to stay true to who You desire me to be,
Guide me as I navigate the new uncharted waters within myself and the world around me.
Reveal how I might continue to be a part of Your reconciling healing.
Help me be brave.
Help me to listen without immediate judgement.
Help me speak truth.
Help me to Love.
Amen.
“There is a story of an old man who used to meditate early every morning under a big tree on the bank of the Ganges River. Once morning, after he had finished his meditation, the old man opened his eyes and saw a scorpion floating helplessly on the water. As the scorpion was washed closer to the tree, the old man quickly stretched himself out on the one of the long roots that branched out into the river and reached out to rescue the drowning creature. As soon as he touched it, the scorpion stung him. Instinctively the man withdrew his hand. A minute later, after he had regained his balance, he stretched himself out again on the roots to save the scorpion. This time the scorpion stung him so badly with its poisonous tail that his hand became swollen and bloody and his face contorted with pain.
At that moment, a passerby saw the old man stretched out on the roots struggling with the scorpion and shouted: ‘Hey, stupid old man, what’s wrong with you? Only a fool would risk his life for the sake of an ugly, evil creature. Don’t you know you could kill yourself trying to save that ungrateful scorpion?’
The old man turned his head. Looking into the stranger’s eyes, he said calmly, ‘My friend, just because it is the scorpion’s nature to sting, that does not change my nature to save.’ The scorpion he tried to save finally killed him.” (from Brendon Manning, The Signature of Jesus)


Stanley Spencer (English Painter, 1891-1958) Christ in the Wilderness "The Scorpion")