Boiling Frogs

I first heard the Boiling Frog story from my high school biology teacher. Gross.
Never heard of it? The story is that if you try to put a frog in hot water it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.  True or not, I think it is a pretty powerful metaphor.
Sometimes I get too comfortable. I'm content. I'm safe. I settle. I doze. I put my life on cruise control. And pretty soon the place where I've been sitting becomes unhealthy, and I don't even notice. I forget to dream. I forget to strive for something bigger than me. I forget to take risks. I forget to reach out.

Or maybe I don't forget; I just get distracted by routine.
I get lulled to inaction by the 'good', instead of being inspired by the wild ways of God. Procrastination becomes the top song on my playlist, mediocrity and comfort my faithful companions.
I could easily close my eyes today and be carried away by the ride that is my life. And in what would feel like an instant, I could open my old wrinkled eyes and see a life that was all about me feeling safe and good. And I would grieve the life I could have lived. I would grieve deeply the undiscovered life full of wonder and risk, hard work and adventure and love that I had been created for.
Today I will fight to keep my eyes open. I will be thankful for the hard moments. I will try to find ways to jump every single day. I will trust God with the empty rooms in my life. I will use what I've learned. I will be brave enough to live a wild life. Who's with me?

Comments

  1. I was just thinking the same thing as I responded to an email from my husband's grandmother...how can a little old lady be so freakin' busy? She will probably walk to the funeral home before she is buried she is so full of living! I remarked about what a calm week I have had with the kids home...how lame! It should have been full of adventure and fun, but no...I have become lazy and boring...so sad!

    So, it seems to me that the wild blue yonder so lovingly prepared by our Maker is truly the horizon that I ought to focus on, yes?

    Looking forward to the rest of my day!

    Brooke B.~

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is a tough one for me, Jenna. While I know that every word you have written is correct and I need to hear them, it sure isn't easy to swallow. After living through some tough times when risk didn't pay off and the trouble it brought seemed to far outweigh the good, I'm somewhat scared of risk and adventure. Yet, I don't quite know what else to do. My husband doesn't have that fear of risk and he is being pulled in a direction that utterly terrifies me. (Hopefully you know what I'm referring to...I think your husband is on the same "boat" as mine.) :) I need some of your courage. Thanks for these words...it has given me A LOT to think on and pray about. Love you, Friend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. sorry. you're on your own. Good try though!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Hey there! Let's keep in touch. (Sorry, only subscribers/members of this blog can comment.)

Popular Posts