BREAKAWAY
Richard Armstrong and Edward Watkin tell the story of a biologist’s experiment with “processional caterpillars.” On the rim of a clay pot that held a plant, he lined them up so that the leader was head-to-tail with the last caterpillar. The tiny creatures circled the rim of the pot for a full week. Not once did any one of them break away to go over to the plant and eat. Eventually, all the caterpillars died from exhaustion and starvation. The story of the processional caterpillars is a kind of parable of human behavior. People are reluctant to break away from the rhythmic pattern of daily life. They don’t want to be different. We must break away from the crowd, however, if we are to accept Jesus’ invitation to “go off alone” with him in prayer.
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