Monkey Trap

From Urban Dictionary:
a trap designed to catch animals too smart to fall for an ordinary trap i.e. monkeys and people.
The original monkey trap involves a hollow coconut chained to a stake and baited with food. It has a hole large enough for the monkey to put its hand into, but too small to remove its hand while holding the bait. The monkey needs only to let go to escape, but gets caught because it refuses to let go in its panic to keep its precious find.

Our Sunday School teacher this week used the monkey trap to illustrate the parable of the rich young man. He ran to the Savior to ask what he should do to inherit eternal life. But, went away grieved because the answer- the one thing he lacked- was also the one thing he felt he could not do. The lesson made me think of the things that keep me back, slowing my progression and perhaps my access to greater blessings. Bad habits, negative thoughts, fears, misguided wants...