Monday, May 11, 2015

On A Pot of Boiling Water



            Do you remember hearing the story of the frog in the pot of boiling water? The frog is placed in the water over the heat. The frog is alive. The heat gradually, ever so gradually, begins to heat, and as the heat increases, the frog adapts to the increasing temperature. He doesn't notice.
            Soon the water is boiling. The frog notices then, but it is too late. The frog is boiling and he dies.
            Boy, that's an encouraging little story, right? Not.
            It seems to be an appropriate story for the condition of our country. We are the frogs in the water. The heat is increasing.
            More riots. More destruction. More devastation of lives.
            But that's not all…as if that weren't enough!
            Drought, pestilence, diseases like measles popping up all over the place, earthquakes, economic instability. There are threats from all types of radical extremist groups as well.  Mix in the Boston Marathon bombing with the threats and presence of radical cell groups throughout the nation, and it appears that we are in "hot water".
            "Oh, these things have always gone on," you might say.
            No. Never like this that I can remember; never with all kinds of things happening at the same time.
            The water has been heating for some time. And dear readers, we are in trouble.
             Let's look in the pot. The pot of water has several kids of frogs in that water.
            One kind of frog is swimming around, having a good time, living in "La la" land, and noticing nothing. He is pumping his legs, and moving his front feet, and ignoring the others. He is looking to just "enjoying" life, swimming in his little area,  doing what he has to do to get by, and totally blind and oblivious to the heat. He doesn't care, and doesn't care to learn more.
            Another frog is not paddling very much. He's just watching. But he definitely is planning his escape out of the pot. Right now he is so concerned with the temperature of the water, that all he can say is that, "I am very uncomfortable about this water, and I think there is going to be trouble soon. But I am going to just stay quiet and hope for the best. I am not going to say ANYTHING to the other two frogs, because they will think I am crazy!" This frog needs to be challenged to action.
            Let's look at the third frog. He is  the bold one. He knows its not going to get better unless he can get the fire turned off. He is praying, and he knows that things are correctible but that he needs more on his side.  He is loud and vociferous, and speaking the truth about the situation. The others just move to the edge of the pot. They do not want to hear it.
            Where are you?
            You see, we are in a crisis right now. Our wonderful America is beginning to suffer for her backsliding and ignorance of the morality, faith, and sacrifice that she once considered the backbone of the nation. She is ignoring and mistreating her friends in the world, and acting arrogantly.
            These frogs in the pot…well, they are examples of different groups of people..and as you can see, the first frog is really not interested. He thinks life will go on just like it has forever, and he is totally not aware of much.
            The third frog is up to date. He sees that there are hard times ahead. The water is getting hotter and he is aware. Totally. But there are not as many of him as there are number one frogs.
            It's the number two frog that needs to be told to wake up.
            Who can tell the frog HOW he can get out of that pot?
            Oh, I forgot to tell you something!
            There's a large spoon holder floating in the pot. It's got a label. There's a place to go, if the frogs choose to notice, to be humble, to repent, and to open their eyes.
            They can find refuge from the water and the heat.
            But will they?
            I think the third frog will climb in. And hopefully he will encourage the others to do the same. I hope so.
             

No comments:

Post a Comment