A Story That Shocked Many, But Few Took a Lesson From: The Monkey Said to Have Committed Suicide.

Introduction

How do you feel when you hear the word “animal”? Some may immediately think of something big and frightening that lives in the forest, eating smaller creatures or plants, while others may have different interpretations. Animals are living beings with diverse behaviors, and they help humans in various ways in daily life, contributing significantly despite the fact that some animals cause harm. Due to the many remarkable things we continue to discover about animals in science, a field of study focusing on their behavior and cognition, called Animal Psychology, has been established.

In this article, we will not delve into the scientific study of animals but will instead focus on a widely reported story about a monkey that was said to have committed suicide in the Huye District at the University of Rwanda (Butare). Click here to read more if you’d like additional information. You may wonder if this story is appropriate for a Christian platform. I will use Scripture to offer an answer.

“I observed, I reflected, and I gained understanding” (Proverbs 24:32, Holy Bible).

“I turned my attention, considered carefully, and drew a lesson from it” (Proverbs 24:32, Catholic Bible).

What King Solomon emphasizes in this verse is that after seeing something, he thought deeply about it and then reflected on it further, gaining lessons that would benefit his life. Similarly, as the Church, it is unwise to overlook such matters; rather, we should derive spiritual lessons from everything we witness in life.

Reflecting on what happened (as reported in the news) allows us to learn. The story of the monkey that allegedly committed suicide spread across various social media platforms, shocking many. People wondered how a monkey could tie a rope around its neck and hang itself. Even though many read the story, few drew lessons from it. According to eyewitnesses, this monkey had been seen with a rope around its neck for days. It had been playing with other monkeys at the university stadium when it jumped, as monkeys usually do, but unfortunately, the rope caught onto a piece of metal and strangled it. Other monkeys gathered around, watching, but none could save it.

Let’s move away from the monkey and reflect on ourselves as the Church

In this generation, many people carry sin around like a rope around their neck, much like the monkey. They continue to live their lives with this sin, just as the monkey played with its rope. The sad reality is that when the monkey was strangled by the rope, none of its companions could save it—they just watched. Likewise, many people engage in sinful behaviors in groups, like drinking or conspiring together, but when one is in trouble, the others can only watch—they can’t save you. How tragic!

What God Wants From You, the Reader of This Story

• What sin are you carrying with you?
• How aligned is your life with God’s Word?
• Do you believe that people can help you escape from the sin that binds you?

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Hebrews 12:1). “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you” (Revelation 3:3).

As I conclude, I remind you that just as the monkey was unexpectedly strangled to death by the rope it had been carrying for days, the return of Jesus Christ will also be sudden and unexpected. It’s important to rid yourself of the sin that entangles and weighs you down, just as the monkey was entangled by the rope that brought it to death.

The Lord Jesus is coming soon (Maranatha).