Two Lessons from Frogs

Here is a story with no reported author that appears in a number of places on the Web. It's a kind of parable with two important Colossian-like lessons about being a friend.

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit.

All the other frogs peered down from the edge. When they saw how deep the pit was, they explained to the unfortunate frogs, "You'll never get out. You might as well not even try." But the two frogs ignored their croaking and tried to jump up out of the pit.

The other frogs kept telling them to stop because they were as good as dead.

Finally, one of the frogs agreed with what the other frogs were saying. With a sigh he gave up. Moments later he fell dead. The other frog, however, continued to jump as hard as he could.

Once again, the crowd at the top of the pit yelled at him to stop tormenting himself and die. But the more they croaked, the more he jumped. When their shouts reached fever pitch, he lunged once more-and made it out!

"Why did you continue jumping?" the other frogs asked. "Didn't you hear us?"

But the frog exulted, "Fellow frogs, thank you! Thank you for cheering me on! For my whole live I've never been able to hear, but I could tell you were rooting for me! Without your encouragement, I would have been a goner."

The frogs teach two lessons.

1. The power of life and death lives in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.
2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill him. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.

If you've come to this page without reading Guidelines for Friendship, check that out too.

Mark Wagner serves Jesus as pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Grafton, Wisconsin.