I read a parable or story many years ago. The first weather storm hit the area suddenly and the temperature dropped fast.
A POISONOUS SNAKE was dying by the side of the road. A young teenage boy stopped and looked at the snake. The poisonous snake had a LURE to this young man. He picked up a stick and began to move the mean-old snake.The SNAKE RAISED up his head and the boy stepped back.
The snake started talking to the boy and said, I will be dead in a few hours if you don’t help me. The boy said: You are poisonous --- I know better than messing with you. So the snake talked a while until the young man got more and more comfortable with him.
The snake said: Everyone around talks bad about me. I get a bum rap. I am a good snake. I just do what snakes do. The snake said to the young man: SEE, I AM NICE! JUST OPEN YOUR SHIRT AND I WILL CRAWL IN AND RAP MYSELF AROUND AND AROUND YOU AND YOUR BODY HEAT WILL SAVE MY LIFE AND YOU CAN TAKE ME TO A SAFE WARM PLACE.
The young boy unzipped his coat, unbuttoned his shirt, and the cold snake slittered his way around and around the young boy. Slowly the snake warmed himself.
Several hours later the boy felt safe as he was working in the barn.
The boy told the snake I don’t guess you are really as bad as everyone says. ABOUT THAT TIME THE SNAKE SANK HIS FANGS IN THE YOUNG BOY’S NECK and he fell to the floor of the barn. The boy looked into the SNAKE’S EYES and said I thought you were nice? Why did you bite me?
The SNAKE SAID: NATURE. IT IS JUST MY NATURE TO BITE.