Boiling Frog

There is a widespread anecdote that if you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will of course frantically try to clamber out. But if you place it gently in a pot of tepid water and turn the heat on low, it will float there quite placidly. As the water gradually heats up, the frog will sink into a tranquil stupor, exactly like one of us in a hot bath, and before long, with a smile on its face, it will unresistingly allow itself to be boiled to death. I don’t know if this is in fact true with frogs, but I know it’s true for me. It happens so easily, just one little slip at a time gone unchecked, and then another, and another, and before long the water’s boiling. No doubt we see the premise worldwide - society desensitized to the point of grave moral decline.  It's all around us.

I got to thinking about the Boiling Frog anecdote this morning, because I’m struggling with a little conviction. Well, I’m not struggling anymore, but I struggled for awhile early this morning. Let me explain. I just read a book (along with my book club) that quite frankly I really enjoyed. The fact that I enjoyed it is what bothers me. It was pretty raunchy - funny as all get out and I laughed hard the entire way through the book (even tagging the best funny parts with post-its), but oh so corrupt. I joked with the book club that it took me a little while to “warm up to the raunch”, because when I started reading the first chapters there were red warning signals going off that this piece of trash was not something I should be allowing to penetrate my mind. But alas, like a train wreck with all its horrors that you can’t seem to take your eyes off, I kept reading, and laughing. And the temperature in the pot gets a little warmer and the frog sits in a tranquil stupor.

The thing is, the Still Small Voice is tugging at my heart. He makes me desire cleanness - moral purity. My friend Melissa said these words to me in the parking lot last night as I got into my van to go home: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8) Well, I can certainly agree that the book was not noble, nor pure, lovely… or even admirable. Funny (in a demented sort of way)… but I don’t think that quite qualifies as admirable to God. And then this morning as I was thinking about all this, a different scripture passage came to mind:

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:23-27)

"Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it"…. UGH. See, that’s the clincher, because I know that what goes into the mind, affects the heart, and that yes indeed then flows out in words and actions. Thus, the temperature in the pot goes a little higher, and a little higher and before long you know what you’ve got? A dead frog. Moral disaster. Been there, believe me.

Titus 2:11-14 reminded me this morning: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” Holiness is important to my LORD. Hebrews 12:14 warns that “without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Well, I want to see Him everyday. I want to listen to His Still Small Voice.

I remember Pastor Dave saying one time that he has to practice the “BOUNCE” in order keep from temptation. When inappropriate content comes on the TV, you “BOUNCE” quickly off of it. You block your computer from receiving porn content, you resist opening junk email, you build in safeguards to keep you from raising the water temperature in your pot - because you are a frog. I have decided that I’m going to practice the “BOUNCE” better. If when I start a new book a red warning signal sounds in my heart – I will stop reading, and return the book. “BOUNCE”. Resist the temptation. Keep my heart pure. Keep the temperature in my pot from raising gradually to the point I’ve lost all sensitivity and I boil to death.