They say that if you put a frog into a pot of boiling water, it will leap out right away to escape the danger.
But, if you put a frog in a kettle that is filled with water that is cool and pleasant,and then you gradually heat the kettle until it starts boiling, the frog will not become aware of the threat until it is too late. The frog's survival instincts are geared towards detecting sudden changes.
This story has often been used to illustrate how people are led to commit sins. If you are living a righteous life and someone asks you to rob a bank, you would, of course, not do it. But if you start out committing somewhat smaller sins like cheating on a test, telling little white lies, or whatever, pretty soon these smaller sins don't seem so bad and worse ones are compounded on them until when someone makes the suggestion to rob a bank, it doesn't seem like such a bad thing - or you just don't care anymore.
This, of course, is just one example. I don't know anyone who has ever robbed a bank, nor do I know anyone who knows anyone who has, but there are many many other examples of sins that do effect my life, the life of my loved ones, and others I know.
I want to add a twist to the story that might bring it into even more perspective.
Suppose the frog is someone's pet. I'll call this someone Fred to make the story easier to tell. The frog has jumped into the pot of cool water and is happily swimming around. Fred is looking frantically around the house for his pet frog. It doesn't occur to him to look in the pot until it is almost too late.
When Fred finally discovers his frog in the water, the frog is barely alive. Fred dearly loves his little pet and is quite upset at finding him in this predicament.
Should he watch him perish while thinking - You stupid frog. Why did you jump in the water? Well, it was your choice. You're the one who is going to have to suffer.
Should he reach in the boiling water, pull the frog out, and try and rescue it?
Should he just give up and walk away?
It may be easy to say that he should reach in and rescue the frog while there is still a chance that he might live. I would agree. But how often do we opt for the other two choices with the frogs in our lives? It's something to think about.
Let's not wait until it is too late to rescue the frog's in our lives.
Let's say Fred rescues the frog multiple times and now everytime he leaves the frog alone the frog gets in the water. At what point does he stop rescuing the frog? Does the frog stop realizing the severity of the hot water because he is always rescued before the fatality? If Fred keeps rescuing the frog, he won't be able to focus on anything else because he will always be worried about the frog and will inturn disregard other important parts of his life that will eventually fall without the needed maintenance that any relationship needs.
ReplyDeleteYou make a very valid point. I hear you. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Both the Article and Missy's comment.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved this analogy. As for "saving" the frog, I think of children and stairs. You see, people can learn and grow as they experience different situations. I obviously do not expect an infant to climb up and down stairs. Even after they can move and crawl you block the stairs because, as a parent, you know it is too dangerous. After they show interest and ability in climbing the stairs you provide them with teachings that allow them to manuever the stairs safely. Even after they have been taught how to climb up and go down the stairs they will sometimes try to go down head-first. The first time they do this you jump up quickly and turn them around, reminding them of the right way to go. As they continue this behavior, you rise a little more slowly and say, "You know how to go down right, turn around." Eventually you have to go about your chores and allow them to draw from their experiences. In the back of your mind you always worry and wonder if they are okay, but you have to let them go.
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