Alright, #4 of my best/favorite sermon illustrations is one that’s slightly embarrassing. Now let me go on record of saying that I am not scared of frogs, the way I am of say snakes, or the creepy little dead girl from the ring. But I’m not liking them on Facebook either. Ok that said here’s one of my favorite all-time illustrations; Shower Frog.

I used to live in a flood zone in Walnut Ridge which was crazy to see when big storms would come through. Well one particular time when most of the water had subsided my carport, which contained the back door and primary means of access to the house, turned into a tree frog habitat. Now I’m not especially scared of frogs but these little tree frogs held you in suspense. Often times without warning they would leap off the safe perch they had far away from me and descend down upon their prey. One particular night there were several frogs on the glass window and hitched a ride in on my neighbor as he came in. We thought we got them out, but later that evening I saw one make a break for the hall way. Kiz, who I mentioned in the previous post, my golden retriever quickly ended the intruders existence by chasing it down the hall and then spearing it with his claw as it tried to climb the wall. Being very proud of the dog I praised him and went to get a dustpan or something to dispose of the frog carcass. When I return my happy dog burped at me and apparently thought I’d be excite that he helped clean up (he ate it). A couple days later another couple frogs made their way inside, and again I apparently don’t see well cause I missed one. This one I found as I entered the bathroom. Perched high in the corner above the toilet there he was, and thus began the hostage situation. If I had been a normal male I would have grabbed the frog and flushed him, but being the coward that I am I couldn’t. In fact, for nearly a week this frog held me in terror every time “nature called”, I could walk to that bathroom at 3am groggy and half awake and the second my feet hit the tile I was alert and identifying the whereabouts of my captor. I remember multiple times being scared out of my wits as he leaped from within the creases of the shower curtain. Then one night he thought he had me. I walk into the bathroom and like normal scan the corner above the toilet and shake the shower curtain, to attempt to force him to the back wall of the shower, only I can’t find him. While I hoped he’d starved to death trapped in that bathroom and began to frantically look about the room. With my eyes darting back and forth my heart rate rose as I turned back and saw him hovering above door trapping me inside the restroom. I hate to admit it but for a second I started to wonder how long would I have to sit before someone came looking for me. Then it occurred to me that what at first appeared to be a brilliant tactical maneuver was actually a colossal mistake. I grabbed a towel and with a vengeful passion snapped it at that frog I knocked it to the ground and out into the hall. Which immediately reminded me of well the last one ended and so I hollered for the dog! Nearly the almost exact same scenario took place. Frog comes in, dog chases frog, dog stabs frog, I go to get a dustpan, dog eats frog. I was elated! I gave that dog the highest praises of his life that night, and for two days I peed whenever I wanted without anxiety. The third day after being released from Shower Frog’s tyranny while I was taking a shower I reached for the shampoo and out sprung that guerilla war trained frog! I jumped out of the shower and returned to life of captivity. Slave to the fear of a frog. Now really what should have happened when I saw the frog if I did not want it cohabiting my home. Exactly, I should have simply picked up the frog. I can assure you that I wanted to see that frog leave with every fiber of my being, I talked about how I wished it would come to understand it was in a place it didn’t belong. I did all the things you can do with words, but I did not pick up the frog. So it stayed there in the same condition it was in. Too often as believers we are exactly like I was, slaves to our fear. Most of would honestly say that we desire to see people come to know Christ, in the same way that I desired the frog to be gone. But also in the same manner we refuse to be the instrument of that. We are paralyzed by fear and can’t step out and share. It’s time to remember that the first part of the Great Commission is to “Go and make disciples” and you become a disciple when you drop your life and follow Jesus. So Jesus is asking us to open our mouths and share about who he is. It’s time to let the Holy Spirit give you the courage to pick up the frog in your life and start sharing Jesus.