Giant Rat-Eating Frogs

While Julie and I were on our recent trip to the South we were driving down a highway cut through the countryside of the Florida panhandle. As we cruised along in our rented Neon enjoying the roadside sights, we came upon a roadside zoo. From every appearance this was a do-it-yourself variety of zoo that had been built in someone's backyard in an attempt to relieve the traveling tourist of his or her money. It certainly was as far removed from a "real" zoo as one can imagine. The only similarity is that both had captive animals on display. As we approached the zoo there were a series of signs advertising this wonderful Florida attraction. One sign would read "See the Lion" the next would say "See the Tiger" and so on. I was really not paying much attention until a sign came into view that said, "See the Giant Rat-Eating Frogs." Now, I have never thought of frogs as ever being "giant" sized and certainly had never entertained the idea that they feasted on rodents! Accompanying the wording on the sign was a drawing of a frog with a large rat hanging from its mouth! Needless to say, we kept driving, and to this day I have never seen a giant rat-eating frog. The zoo-owner apparently is of the opinion the large carnivorous amphibians are a real draw. To me this illustrates a tendency of human nature. We are attracted to the new, the different, the bizarre. We like to be entertained.

There is one area in which we should never view as entertainment. That is the preaching and teaching of God's word. In the day of the prophet Ezekiel there were those who came to hear him preach. He was viewed a wonderful speaker and drew large crowds. The Lord, however, informed him that, "thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not." (Ezekiel. 33:32, cf. Ezekiel. 33:3-33). He was to them just so much entertainment. The preaching of God's word is not to entertain the hearer, it is to change the hearer!

So next Sunday make sure you are in place to hear the Word of God and come prepared to be changed by the Word of God. Preaching is not a side-show on the road to life, it the direction to the narrow way that leads to eternal life. (Matt. 7:14)

Jesse Waggoner
Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church

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