Are you a slow-cooking frog?

That is the imagery that has stuck with me all day after the message at church today and the point I have been reflecting on in all areas of my life.

The reference is to the fact that if you put a frog into hot water it will jump right out, but if you put the frog into a pot of cold water on a low flame and slowly heat the water, the frog will not notice until it is too late, resulting in one cooked and rubbery frog (I am not sure if they stew well).

In what areas of my life have I been slowly cooking myself and lowering my reaction to the danger of its heat? I can see that there have been some exposures that I know brings a jaded response on my part, but that I have tolerated. If I continue to to tolerate what I know I don't like will it eventually become tolerable? Likable even? So I will put back up my standard instead of lowering and say "No more!" It's not that I don't flinch every time I am exposed, I just know that I am not comfortable with reaching the point at which the flinch is gone. Where else have I let the water slowly get warm and dropped in my reaction time. Nutrition! Am I ever thankful that my body's response to foods that are not so good for you overrides what I am willing to tolerate. I had recently lowered my standard when it comes to eating healthy foods and have taken in a portion of foods that a year ago I may have shuddered at. Why? Because I began saying "It's just one.....it's just one....ok, just one....it's not that bad.....it tastes really good" And the end result: My body got MAD and rebelled against the food and the way I was eating. My health and resistance went down and I got SICK! I took that warning that the water was getting too hot and climbed out, but sluggishly, especially after being "half-cooked".

It's almost like the Godfather when he gets shot MULTIPLE times before he finally dies. How many shots will I allow to hit me before my guard is completely gone and I start to shut down. How many crass conversations and jokes do I have to hear before I start telling them? How much spoonfuls of dirt do I have to add to my glass of water before I get mud? And do I want to find out the answers or do I consider the water too hot to even get into? If I see a pot sitting over a cooking element, I should get the hint that before long that water will be hot enough to cook something...am I going to climb in? Ephesians 5:3-7 says "...there must not be even a hint of...", so let me see the water as too hot and not even consider getting into the pot. Let me keep my response sharp and alert and keep my eye on living a life focused on the hope set before me. No slow-cooking for me thanks.