Several years ago George Barna wrote, The Frog In The Kettle.  He explains that the way to boil a frog is not to put him in a pot of boiling water because he’ll jump out.  The key is to put him in tepid water so he’s comfortable, then slowly turn up the temperature on the stove so he has a nice little frog jacuzzi.   He becomes acclimated to the water until his strength has been gradually sapped, leaving him powerless to hop out.

This may happen to us if we’re not aware of our deleterious surroundings.  Like the frog, we may gradually move into places that are dangerous. We usually don’t dive in – we start at the shallow end of the pool and slowly wade out into the deep end.  It occurs so slowly that we don’t realize it.  Finally, we’re in over our heads and it’s too late.  This is a reason why the Apostle Paul warned the Ephesians,

For this reason it says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”  (Ephesians 5:14)

Paul is most likely recalling to mind Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”  The word Paul uses for “awake” is a present tense imperative, and it conveys the idea of continuous action.  You are to remain vigilant and stay alert.  

You are not only to awake from your sleep but you are to stand up as one from the dead.  As you live your life as a follower of Christ, then He will shine on you.   You must realize that we do not drift into holiness.  There is a downward pull from the world, our flesh, and the devil.  Too many people are settling for a shadow of God rather than the reality of God.

Plato’s cave illustrates this meta narrative.   Imagine prisoners who have been chained deep inside a cave. Behind the prisoners is a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners is a walkway among which objects move.  The figures cast shadows on the wall, and the prisoners watch these shadows.  The prisoners believe that these shadows they are watching pass by on the cave wall are reality.  This is the only reality that they know although they are only seeing shadows.  Suppose a prisoner’s chains break, and he is able to get up and walk about.  He starts exploring and walks out of the cave and he is momentarily blinded by the sun.  In time, he learns to see the real objects rather than shadows.

Once enlightened, the freed prisoner desires to return to the cave to free his fellow prisoners.  His fellow prisoners are reluctant to change.  They do not trust the freed prisoner.  His eyes would now have difficulty identifying shapes on the wall.  He might stumble and the prisoners would conclude that his experience had ruined him.  (The Republic Book VII, 516b-c).

As you evaluate your life, are you focusing on the shadows or the reality?   Thoreau observed, “Only that day dawns to which we are awake.”  Let us follow the Apostle Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians,

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  (1 Corinthians 16:13)

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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