There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Proverbs 14:12
I call it the “shock factor” and I am not a fan. One of the things that I love about deep South Florida and the Keys is the water temperature. I mean it is perfect. When you wade into the water there is no gasping or shuddering. There is no “shock factor.” On the other hand, I have been to the Florida panhandle many times, often in the dead of summer, and it always seems the water is cold. It probably isn’t but it sure seems that way.
Several years ago, we were down with the family. We had a place on the beach and soon there was a clamor of “let’s go to the beach.” Well, I am not a fan of the beach, but I am a fan of my family so off we went. We got there and it was time to take the plunge. So, I put my little toes in the water and was shocked at how cold the water seemed. Holy moley…I thought this was the Gulf not the North Sea! Well, I inched a little more trying my best not to act like a girl—sorry ladies. As I waded out, the water got higher and higher until finally it was time to go all in. Yep, I finally just bent my legs, and the water came up to my neck. Holy moley, for the second time!
Well, for about four or five minutes it was just cold—I swore I saw penguins walking on the beach. Hot temperature or not…sun or not—it was cold. Then gradually I realized, it wasn’t cold anymore. In fact after a bit, it actually felt pretty warm. Had my body temperature changed? Nope. Had the water warmed up? Nope. Fact was I just acclimated to the water. In other words, I just got used to the water and when I did, the shock factor was gone. I found out you could even get out of the water for a couple of minutes and return without shouting, “holy moley!”
I find this whole hot/cold water thing kinda interesting. You have probably heard about how a frog can be put into a pot of water. As heat is applied to the pot the ole frog just sits there and until the water is boiling and he is cooked. He doesn’t sense the temperature change because his body temp is controlled by his environment. And then I realized that is exactly how it is with us and sin. The longer we stay in a certain sin–and the more often we visit there–the lower the shock factor. In fact, it sounds crazy but it explains what is happening all around us today. It probably explains why so many “Christians” can live in sin and feel quite comfortable there. They have lost the “shock factor.”
When it comes to water temperature, God gives us the shock factor to physically warn our bodies that something is different–perhaps dangerous. He does the same for us morally and spiritually. When we are walking down a path with big regrets and bigger consequences, He sometimes sends the “shock factor” to wake us up. That “Oh my, what am I doing?” thing is from God, and He is warning us to get out—fast. In the Old Testament part of the Bible, there is a verse in the book of Proverbs that says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” That is so true…just ask the frog.
So unlike Mister Frog, we can physically “feel the heat” but morally and spiritually we aren’t much different. We need to be wise enough to jump out while we can. Many a good frog has waited to late…and so has many a person. That uncomfortable feeling is there for a reason…jump while you can. Like a good lifeguard, God is waiting for us to call for help. You can trust Him…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne
Grits with Grace 