I am sure at some time or another you have heard the story told of the boiling frog.
If you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will instinctually try to climb out. However if you gently place it in a pot of lukewarm water and turn the heat on low, it will float there calmly. As the water gradually heats up, the frog is unaware of its deadly changing environment and before long it boils to death. If that is not an accurate description of what is happening to the hearts of humanity, I don’t know what is. Most of us that have at least 30 years of life on this earth can look back and see the major differences from when we were kids to now.
I remember playing outside everyday with other kids; hide & seek; kick ball; or just riding bikes (with playing cards in the spokes of course for fake motor noise). Today kids are isolated, eyes glued to TV’s, videos games, iPods, laptops,etc. They don’t talk to one another anymore; they text. They don’t get into the simple push and shove on the playground and then share a cookie in the lunchroom to make peace; they show up to school and shoot as many kids as they can. And us adults, we aren’t much better. Our families knew the other families they shared a community with. Neighborhood parents would barricade our street off and have a Halloween party. We would mow the neighbors grass just to be kind; Bring them a cake or pie when they moved in. Everything pointed to community and our parents made sure of it. I am ashamed to say my wife and I just moved from a place we lived for 10 years and outside of one man coming over to tell us our dog was on his property, not one family came over to introduce themselves to us when we moved in. But then again I can point the finger at myself just as quick because I myself made no effort to get out and meet any of them. What is happening to the “humanity” of us humans?
Well like the frog in the luke warm water, we have been slowly introduced to a more self-centered lifestyle; one much more fast-paced and focused on us getting ours! Material possessions are becoming more of a measure of success and accomplishment and trumps the importance of getting to know our fellow-man. The truth of what is important in our lives, things such as charity, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, modesty and chastity have slowly been replaced with pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and laziness; and it is all happening at a pace that to us frogs seems like a nice, hot, comfortable jacuzzi! But the reality is we are boiling to death!
Until some of us begin to realize we have the ability and need to jump out of the pot, no matter how comfortable the water may seem right now, and begin to teach our children the important truths I mentioned just a moment ago, then we will be responsible for them living a long hard life of evil and suffering; basically thrown into a pot of already boiling water with and inescapable lid on it!
I, for one, do not want to have to answer to my Maker on judgement day as to why I knew the truth and did not share it with our kids. My challenge to you all is to take a look at the pot of water you are sitting in; peek underneath to see the flame at work to boil you to death; blow it out; jump from the pot and let us begin to spread the word of truth to all of our other brother and sister frogs. It’s not too late; the water isn’t boiling; not yet!
I couldn’t agree with you more. My husband and I discuss this all the time. Love your post and thanks for sharing.
Thanks Colleen for sharing. It’s a very simple example but its amazing how we can let it engulf so many areas of our lives. Appreciate the comment!
“The water isn’t boiling yet.” Nice post!
Anne Dovel
Thanks Anne for the thumbs up! i appreciate it!
Great analogy. Most parents these days buy their kids whatever they want just to keep up with the Jones’s. I am thankful that the kids on my block, at least some of them, play outside constantly. I was driving home from work after the first significant snowfall and saw one snowman. ONE! I purposely took all back roads expecting to see kids building forts and snowmen since we had a lot of snow. I guess they were all to busy on facebook to notice it snowed.
Diane, it is a sad time we are living in when the things we once as children fexcited us and kept us “alive” are viewed now as bored and “too much work”. Its going to be up to us adults to begin teaching them, regardless of what society says, of the things that are important. Thanks for the comment!
Hope your feeling better today. I left your confession CD in your office on the desk. I think it always helps to have a focal point your headed towards. A way to measure if the water is getting too hot or too cold. If only the frog had a thermometer, we are lucky and have a Bible and other people who help us along the way. Community of followers who strive to be shining examples of God. Good read today. On a side note. If you put a frog into a tub of ice overnight and put him in the fridge he will freeze but not die. They have a unique antifreeze system where they can freeze completely throughbut their individual cells do not. However, if you take the frozen frog and throw him against a wall he will shatter like a glass bowl. Not sure how that fits here but it is always good to have knowledge.
Thanks for the insight on the forzen frog. Gaining more knowledge by day! 🙂 I think our thermometer is the simple pulse we can take on society as a whole; most people would agree we are going in the wrong direction so that in and of itself should let us know the water is heating up! 🙂 thanks for the post Travis!
Ha I tell my son to go out side and play all the time! These kids today have no clue what real fun is anymore.All he wants to do is play video games..
You are so right. I’m glad that I am raising my kids in the country and therefore they love the great outdoors and are usually outside till dark each day.
Alyssa, nothing better than a neighborhood full of innocent kids outside enjoying life! Sometimes us as parents just need to “unplug” our child and get them out there! Thanks for the comment!
We live in the same type of neighborhood you grew up in. It’s a great feeling knowing the neighbor kids. But it is much different now than it was 30 years ago… People just don’t feel as safe anymore and they are totally less willing to come and say hi to a new neighbor.
Thank you for such a great and well written post!
Stefani, thanks so much for your comment. I do agree that our streets and neighborhoods are quite as safe as 30 years ago; but I think the cure to that is the same as with everything else; reaching out to others, love and accept them. Once we re-engage the hearts of people, safety follows love! Thanks for your post! 🙂
Whatever happened to face to face communication? It’s becoming rarer and rarer by the day.
I’ve even caught my kids texting each other from the back seat to the front seat while riding in my car!
I know! Its crazy isn’t Nancy? I guess we adults are going to have to begin removing these electronic devices away and force them back into REAL relationship with others! Keep an eye out as I am working on an article talking about that! Thanks for sharing!
I remember when it was safe to play in the woods, and there were woods to play in, not the paved cul-de-sacs of today’s suburban neighborhood, nor the concrete jungle where urban kids play. There aren’t many adults around to keep an eye on kids either, so kid has a phone where mom and others can track his GPS. While I agree that there is too much virtual life, there are reasons for that happening. I see young parents struggling to get their young children into activities with their peers, sports, dance, martial arts, BEFORE the kids start elementary school.
When is there actual leisure for imagination, for exploration, for creativity?
Charlotte, you will like my next publication as I think I have a little insight on some of this! I definitely think this is a major epedemic sweeping our families today! Thanks for the comments!
The water isn’t boiling yet! Love this! Thank you Jeff, you have given me much food for thought, excellent post!
Thanks Melissa! I always appreciate your kind words and comments!
I remember reading the little story about the frog once and realizing that was what was happening to me in my marriage at the time. Luckily the flame left before I boiled completely. Anyway, yes, I agree that things have gotten very weird now in a virtual sort of way, but it seems odd to complain about it online!
Carol, appreciate the comment. unfortunately the weirdness in the world is not “virtual”; its real. My efforts are not to complain but to awaken; some people get it, some people don’t and some people just don’t care. My prayers are the ones that get it and care begin to change. I am going to do my best to do my part; its all any of uscan do!
I just meant that I was agreeing with you about the ever-increasing move towards virtual reality over real in the flesh experience and community, and that it was funny to be doing so via a “virtual” medium.
What a truthful post. Community is no longer important to people and I for one remember being outside a lot more then my son is. My son is not allowed to just sit at home playing video games all day but he does not have the freedom that I had when I was his age to roam around outside. That is because of fear. I am not saying that he doesn’t go out and hang with his friends but he is not allowed to ride his bike for miles by himself to get to his friends house like I used to. Either way you are absolutely right people are way to focused on themselves. I make an effort when I am out and about to smile and speak to people with kindness and to pay attention to them and not be on my phone when I am in line waiting to pay for something. Great post and I will be sharing it.
Thanks Beth for the great comment. I agree, its a different world all together than when I grew up; that fear that causes us to keep out children on a shorter leash than we were is like a double edged sword; we take a risk of something happening to our children or we take a risk of our children never really living; definitely a tough spot! Thanks so much for sharing!
A great post! This weekend is the National Day of Service. A great time to start in our own neighborhood. – Maggie
Great idea Maggie! Sounds like a great idea for a blog! 😉 Appreciate the thumbs up!
Hey Jeff,
You are writing with some serious heart and creativity. I really appreciate the various original ways you are looking to wake folks up to the current conditions in our world and suggesting that we have the power to change. Brilliant, personal, universal messages my friend. I love it!