“It isn’t easy being green” sang Kermit the frog.
There are many reasons I wouldn’t like being a frog. For one, I would find a frog’s eyesight very restrictive, but in a spiritual sense, I could learn a big lesson from a frog.
Most frogs have large protruding eyes which sit at the top of its head, and are unmistakably prominent – for good reason. They play a vital role in capturing food and in predator avoidance. It’s nearly impossible to sneak up on a frog. The frog’s eyes bulge out so far that it can see in all directions, giving it almost 360° vision – very helpful for an animal that can barely turn its head.
Most frogs catch insects with their long sticky tongue. As revealed by high-speed photography, it takes less than a second for a frog’s tongue to roll out, adhere to its prey, and roll back into the frog’s mouth. Catching fast-moving insects requires good eyesight which allows them to routinely snatch flying insects out of mid-air with ease.
The frog is not concerned with stationary things around him.
He will starve to death surrounded by food if the food isn’t moving.
The frog’s optical field of perception has been likened to a BLACKBOARD which is CONSTANTLY WIPED CLEAN, so that the images it receives are the objects which directly concern it: such as a natural predator or the food it needs. It is able to BLUR THE BACKGROUND CLUTTER making the object much clearer. Therefore, the frog is NEVER DISTRACTED by unimportant things, but focussed on the essential before it.
As a Christian,
I would value that “blackboard” aspect of the frog’s vision.
It is so easy to become preoccupied
with the vain things of the world.
It is so easy
to become distracted and lose sight of our spiritual goals,
responsibilities and witness.
It is so easy
to become cluttered with materialistic and insignificant concerns
that we lose sight of eternal values.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
Psalm 119:37 [NKJV]
TURN AWAY MY EYES FROM LOOKING AT WORTHLESS THINGS
and revive me in Your way.
MEETING IN THE CLOUDS 
I bet you have huge frogs in Australia. I didn’t know about the fact they need to see something move in order to feed. We occasionally visit a castle in Belgium which is surrounded by large noisy frogs, I could watch them all day (but Roz asks me to get moving after about 5 minutes).
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Yes, we do have large ones here. When we owned the farm, hubby would always have to ‘bump’ his boots to get the frogs out before putting them on. My grieve about them would be their foot prints on my windows and on the car. I’m with Roz. I don’t think I’d bother watching them.
I don’t see too many frogs since moving to town, but I do still see them occasionally. I much prefer frogs to the huge, smelly, ugly, brown cane toads.
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Wonderful post, Angela! “Blackboard Frog Vision” would certainly be a very valuable characteristic, from a spiritual point of view! A passage of Scripture came to mind: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:2 – 3) Our hearts should be “entirely engrossed by heavenly things, the things above, where Christ dwells!” May the Lord bless you, abundantly!
Paulette
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Yes, Paulette, I thought of that Scripture too and should have added it at the end. Thanks for adding it.
We have to “set” our affection on things above, and that conjures up in my mind the thought of setting in concrete – solid, permanent, not easily disturbed. THAT is the way we should be – and can be, when we are ‘set’ on Him.
What an amazing God!
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Let us together turn our eyes upon Jesus as one in the Lord!
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Amen Granbee – focussed on Him and not distracted by things of the world.
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So good Angela. In a world full of distractions my God calls me back to worship Him just Him! I love Him so much for His patience! May I reblog this?
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We’d be lost without His patience and His constant work in us.
Of course you can reblog this or anything here.
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Oh mentor Angela . ..I’m in tears. Unexpectedly crying as I read this. Laid low before Him and just asking Him what is distracting me, to please show me and help me forsake it. Because it is so like you said, so easy to become cluttered with insignificant concerns. I want that blackboard frog vision too! God bless you and the very, very special way He speaks through you straight to my heart. love and prayers!
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Thanks Deb. That blackboard vision would be good at times, but I wouldn’t want it permanently – just a spiritual one, to keep me focussed.
However, on the other hand, God knew what He was doing when He made us and He considered that *HE* was all we need. He gave us all the resources of heaven. He gave us the faith to focus on Him. He gave us Holy Spirit to convict us and enable us. So I guess I’ll memorise that verse in Psalms “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things” and pray it whenever distractions come my way.
Keep looking up, Deb.
We are one day closer!
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You captured a very sound truth here Angela… and did it well! I thank God for your faithfulness to our Amazing God!
Stephanie
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And we both thank our amazing God for HIS faithfulness to us!
Thanks Stephanie.
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Reblogged this on wayneaugden and commented:
This is a post well worth reading and sharing. I enjoyed this and thought you might, too.
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Thanks for the reblog Wayne.
Distractions abound and we need to be aware. We are the loser if we miss out on God’s best.
We serve an amazing God!
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AMEN! how often do we waste, time, effort and precious opportunities to go after that which is ultimately of no spiritual value. How sad it is to see the Lord’s people waste their lives in pursuit of the things of this world. Thank you so much for your easily understood, and greatly illustrated lessons that help us to grow and stay on the right track. May the Lord continue to bless you.
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Thanks Rob.
The world seems to be offering more and more to our young people and yet it seems they are crying out louder and louder for more and more because they are ‘bored’. To me, that just goes to prove that the things of this world CANNOT offer satisfaction. They might give pleasure for a fleeting moment, but it is soon gone. However, the joy of knowing, loving and serving the living God, and the abundance of blessings He gives does not fade: it gets better and better.
Sadly, our nature still tends to lean towards the things that don’t satisfy – and often to ‘good’ but time wasting things, so we have to be on guard and choose God’s BEST.
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