The Third Frog

Three frogs sat on a log. One frog decided to jump off. How many frogs were left?

I heard this story problem at the Emergent Leadership training that I went to last week. The answer, counterintuitively, is “3”. Three frogs were left on the log because “deciding to” do something and doing something are different.

We all have our times of being the “third frog”, times that we decide to do something, but then fail to follow through with our actions. Jesus talks about the “third frog” in his parable of the two sons. One says [decides?] ‘Yes, I will work in the fields’ and doesn’t do it, but the other one actually does it.

Our theological system is not one that counts “decisions”, because decisions don’t necessarily lead to action. Instead, we believe in action – but not our own. We believe in the action of Jesus Christ for us on the Cross. He was no “third frog”, He acted. He left the “log” of glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and came to earth to be our Savior, and it is by His action that we are saved.

in Christ,
PJ