The Moral Vision
Proceeding with Caution
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PROCEEDING WITH CAUTION
When rivers have to be crossed, small animals can
swim across and larger lightweight animals can
swiftly walk across. But watch an elephant who is
about to make the crossing. He does not step out
briskly like other creatures. First he tests the
riverbed for hardness or softness, making sure not
to put his whole weight on his forefoot, then, when
he is sure of his ground, he sets forth. Even once
launched, his progress is slow, for he is still afraid
of becoming irremediably stuck in soft mud. He
proceeds with caution, testing the riverbed at every
step.
Who taught the elephant to do this? Surely it must
have been God who gave him his instinct for
survival, thus setting upon him His seal of divine
approval. God has given us this example to show us
that when there are signs of danger in our path, we
should not advance carelessly, but should move
with similar caution, gauging the nature of the
“ground ahead”.
