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A long time ago, some scientists were studying the effects of water
temperature on frogs. Frogs are interesting amphibians. They are
cold-blooded, meaning that their body temperature just follows the
temperature of the surrounding environment. This is different from
warm-blooded animals and people, whose bodies generate heat, sweat, or
take some other action to keep their body temperatures constant. Frogs
do seem to have some preferences with respect to temperature, though.
For example, if you take a frog and drop the unfortunate creature into
a pot of boiling water, it will jump like crazy to get out of there as
soon as it can!
One guy ran an experiment to see at what temperature a frog gets
uncomfortable in water and jumps out. He put a frog in a pan of cold
water along with a thermometer, and started heating the water very
slowly. The water kept warming up, and the frog just did its thing in
the water, oblivious to the warming. It seemed to be quite comfortable
with the water as it warmed up. The water got warm to the touch, but
the frog showed no concern. It just seemed more interested in watching
for a fly to go by. Still the water warmed, very slowly. The scientist
observed carefully, recording the time, the frog's movements, and the
temperature as the water kept heating. The frog didn't seem to know or
care that the water was now getting VERY warm. Indeed, the pan was
shallow enough that the frog could jump out at any time, but it just
sat there, like it was a warm bath or something. The temperature kept
rising. After a long time, the water was actually boiling, and the
frog still hadn't jumped out. Indeed, by then, it couldn't -- it had
literally been boiled to death.
People have the same sort of problem -- not with boiling water, but
with sin. Like the frog, people can get used to seeing, hearing, and
doing sin, a little at a time. We are immersed in a world of
entertainment and news where sin is portrayed all the time, and it has
been getting worse. Some things that seem innocent get progressively
worse. For example, when a bank robber robs a bank, you can be pretty
sure that isn't the first time he has stolen anything. He probably
stole a lot of times before that, maybe starting with a piece of candy
from the local grocery store. There seems to us to be a big difference
between stealing a few cents worth of candy and felony armed robbery
of thousands of dollars, and in some ways there is, but to God, it is
all sin. God said "You shall not steal." This goes for other types of
sin, too, including hate leading to murder, games leading to
witchcraft and sorcery, covetousness leading to idolotry, and more.
Satan knows this, and tries to lead people along a path such that they
don't realize that what they are doing is "that bad."
Fortunately for us Christians, there is a cure. In your Bible, in 1
John 1:9, the Holy Spirit speaking through John tells us that when we
sin, we should confess our sin to God, and God will cleanse us from
all unrighteousness. We admit what we did wrong, and start doing what
is right, again. Praise God! John is careful to explain that we aren't
supposed to sin, but if we do, there is a way to "start over" in
fellowship with God, again.
The reason the frog died in the boiling water was that it didn't know
the water was too hot, because it didn't have anything at room
temperature to compare it to. We are in the "boiling water" of this
world's sin-laden entertainment and just plain mean behavior that goes
on. We have something to compare the "temperature" of the world to,
though: the Holy Bible. When we read our Bible and pray regularly, we
are constantly reminded of what God wants, and how that compares to
what we see in the world. That way, if we see something that isn't
pleasing to God, like a bad TV show or commercial, we know to reject
it and turn it off, like the frog thrown suddenly into the boiling
water. If we don't spend regular time in the Word of God, though, we
become like the frog that was slowly boiled to death, and don't even
realize what is wrong.
Boys and girls, make sure you spend time reading and listening to the
Bible. That way you will know what God thinks of things that your
friends might want you to do that might not be good.
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Michael Paul Johnson
aka Soaring Golden Eagle
PO Box 1151, Longmont CO 80502-1151, USA
Rocky Mountain outpost 207, New Creation Church
Jesus Christ is Lord!
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