03/02/2004: "The Frog and The Lion"

By Carol J. Warren

Once there was a very small little green frog. He was so much smaller than the average frog, indeed there was danger even of some of the larger bullfrogs trying to eat the smaller frogs. So this frog learned to live in constant fear and continually be watching for anything that might pounce on it. To increase its chances of survival these particular types of frogs usually stayed on the trees where they were a little more out of reach from the bigger animals.

One particular little green frog named Winston was particularly fearful. He jumped at every sound and hid at every passing shadow but he always said at least it kept him alive and not someone’s lunch. Winston knew he had a problem with fear and he was working on it but Winston also had some very fine points about him and he tried to think of it that way and not dwell on the negative, as that is not good for you.

One day a very large lion came passing Winston’s tree. “Why good day there friend lion.” Winston yelled. He had to yell to be heard because he was so very small. “What a fine day to be about. What is your name friend lion?” Winston asked amiably.

“What” the lion said looking about and not seeing anyone at first. “Who or what has interrupted my stroll to speak with me?” the lion asked.

“Up here on the tree friend lion.” Winston yelled, “It was I who greeted you warmly this fine day.”

The lion turned to look at the tree and finally saw Winston. “Oh I see.” The lion said looking down his nose at Winston. “I do not bother to speak to tree growths. I am much too important for that.” Said the lion in a huffy manner.

“Oh I am not a tree growth friend lion,” said Winston still cheerful, “I am a frog.”

“Well really I do not care what you are in any regard. You are not my equal and you are too far down the food chain to even eat, so you are nothing to me. And kindly stop calling me your friend as I do not even know you and really I have no desire to know you.”

“I see.” Said Winston, “My dear sir you need to show yourself to be more friendly if I may say so, you never know when you will need help and I may be just the friend you need in such a situation. One cannot have too many friends in any case.”

“I need you?” the lion laughed. “The only thing I might need you for is an appetizer.” And at this the lion laughed heartily. “Oh that was a good one what.”

“I am not an appetizer.” Winston said a little bothered that all his efforts to be kind were treated with such little respect. “I am a very nice fellow and my name is Winston.”

“Yes quite right. Well as amusing as you are I shall never need anyone.” Said the lion ready to move on. “So continue on with your meaningless little life and leave important sorts like me alone.” At this the lion began to leave muttering something about a talking tree wart or something of the sort.

“Mark my words.” Said Winston, “You will need someone someday and it just might be me.” But the lion was leaving and paid no attention.

Winston’s feelings were hurt a little bit but well you get use to being picked on when you’re so little. So Winston just shook it off and went back to his little life on the tree. Not long after that Winston heard a very large crash. He went scrambling up the tree where he could see better. “My goodness,” said Winston out loud, “What happened?”

Just about that time a large colorful crazy bird sat on the branch next to Winston. “I say there.” Said the crazy bird. “What a mess wouldn’t you say?”

“I might say it was a mess if I knew what was going on but I can’t see.” Said Winston peering between the leaves of the tree. “Do you know what happened?”

“Why certainly I do.” Said the crazy bird. “From where I was flying you could see it quite well. Saw the whole thing. Yes, Yes I did. Can’t see it from here though.”

“Well,” said Winston trying not giggle at the crazy bird, “Would you please tell me what happened?”

“Oh quite right. That was the point wasn’t it?” the crazy bird said crazily, “Well it’s the lion you know. He has fallen in a pit. Quite sad, yes, quite sad, it was covered with vines and leaves so he couldn’t even tell it was there, poor fellow. He fell with a frightful crash. But then I guess you did here the crash?”

Winston nodded urging the bird to continue. “Well it seems on the way down the poor fellow hurt his paw. Now try as he will, he cannot climb out of the pit. I suppose one could be fairly accurate it saying he will die there but I didn’t say that, or did I. Maybe I just said that. Well whatever the case may be, he is in a terrible situation and that is the long and the short of it.”

“Well we can’t help him from here.” Said Winston, “And it’s too far for my short legs to hop. I do need to go assess the situation and see what can be done. We surely can’t leave him in there.”

“Really,” said the crazy bird, “why not?”

“Because it just wouldn’t be right.” Said Winston amazed that he would even suggest such a thing. “How would you feel if it were you in that pit with a broken foot and no one came to help you?”

“Oh,” said the bird, “I hadn’t thought of it that way. Humm, how had I thought of it? Oh yes I remember, I had thought that the lion being a proud and mean sort has received his just reward and I should leave him to it. That’s what I thought. Didn’t I? Besides he is far to big for me to lift out of the pit or you friend frog.”

‘Yes,” said Winston, “He is too big but we never know if there is something we can do or not until we look. God would want us to do want we can. It does not matter that he is not always nice to us.”

“Not always nice,” preened the bird, “I’d say that is putting it sweetly. He tried to eat me one day when I was on the ground looking for worms. I call that rather hateful. Good riddance I say. Let him rot.”

“Now friend bird,” said Winston sweetly looking him in the eyes, “I know in your heart you don’t mean that. Because you love the Lord just as I do and you know that isn’t what the Lord tell us to do. Jesus tell us in Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”

“Now friend bird,” Winston said smiling, “Won’t we be happy to please the Lord and do good for friend lion?”

“Well I suppose,” said the bird still thinking of it, “If that is what the Lord would have us do then I am all for it. Where do we start?”

“Could you please carry me to where the pit is friend bird?” Winston asked not looking forward to the trip at all.

“Why sure, I can do that.” Said the bird, “I just hope my beak is not too uncomfortable.” He picked Winston up in his beak and flew off toward the pit. Winston was very scared but he knew it was the right thing to do. He kept his eyes shut at first and then he thought he better pay attention as he might see something that would give him an idea of how to help.

True to his word the crazy bird took Winston to the edge of the pit. He was trying to say something but Winston was still in his mouth. “I think you can put me down now.” Winston said smiling and glad to be safe on the ground.

“Oh yes, quite right.” Said the bird. “Well that is my part of the help so ta ta for now.” And off he flew. Winston had hoped he would stick around and give him a ride back home when the time came but he guessed he would have to find another ride back when the time came. Winston began to study the pit. It was very deep and wide. He peered over the edge and saw the lion pouting in the corner licking his paw.

“Friend lion, hello friend lion. It is I Winston.” Said Winston, “You remember the tree frog you saw earlier, uh I’m over here.”

The lion had trouble spotting him at first because well he was so little. “Have you come to gloat then.” Said the lion, “Well go ahead and gloat what do I care what a stupid little frog like you thinks anyway.”

Winston cleared his throat to get the lions attention, “I have not come to gloat friend lion I have come to help.” At that the lion began to laugh. “Pardon my saying so but what on earth can you do to help except by making me laugh.” Said the lion. “I mean look at you. It’s not exactly superman to the rescue is it?”

“Well laugh if it makes you fell better.” Said Winston still being nice. “If it helps you get your mind off things I don’t mind.”

“Besides why would you want to help me? I haven’t exactly been nicey nice with you have I now?” Said the lion still eyeing him suspiciously wondering what he really wanted.

“No you have not,” said Winston bluntly, “But we all have our problems in the jungle don’t we. I know my problem is being fearful, and friend bird is crazy, and you friend lion are an arrogant bully but we are still a part of the same jungle and to survive we must help one another when we can in spite of our faults. That is what Jesus would do if He were here isn’t it?”

“Jesus?” the lion said, “Well certainly that is what He would do but I would never expect it of anyone else but Him.”

“We all have Jesus on the inside of us if we have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, so this is how He is doing it through us. How else would He?”

“I hadn’t really thought of it that way.” Said the lion. “So do you really think you as little as you are, no offense, can do something?”

“Oh no offense taken friend lion,” said Winston cheerfully, “I am well aware that I am small and I have no problem with it and yes, I think I shall be able to do something but I am going to need a little help. Please rest your paw for now and I will be back in a few minutes.” Then Winston took off. He was looking for someone in particular.

Oh there he was. “Good day to you friend mouse.” Winston yelled up at the mouse sitting above him.

“Oh good day friend frog.” Said the mouse sweetly, “Why I have not seen you here before. What brings you to this part of the jungle?”

“I have come with a need friend mouse.” Said Winston gravely, “Friend lion has fallen into a pit and is hurt and can’t get out. We need your help to get him out please.”

“My dear friend frog why in the world would I help the lion. He is no friend to anyone at all. Just the other day when I greeted him he tried to pounce on me. He called it a friendly game of cat and mouse but he had every intention of eating me. Then he roared at me so loudly it almost blew my house away. I say it is good for us that he is in the pit. If God has suffered him to fall into a pit who am I to intervene to get him out. He is being punished for his sins. Let him stay there.” Said the mouse emphatically.

“I understand how you feel friend mouse I also being small as you are. But that is not what Jesus teaches us in His word. What would Jesus do if He were here?” Winston said with passion, “I tell you not only what He would do but what He did do in such a situation as this He died for those who crucified Him. Not only that He forgave them. Now friend mouse I know that you have Jesus living inside of you and He wants us to forgive friend lion and allow Him to do through us as ever He has been known to do. Rescue the perishing and forgive them so they may know Him and repent and be saved.”

“That was beautiful, that was.” Said friend mouse teary eyed. “You are right I was not being very Christ like. What do you want me to do?”

“Come with me friend mouse and I will show you.” Winston said. Friend mouse followed Winston back to the pit. Winston showed friend mouse some of the strong vines that were close by and asked him to use his sharp teeth to gnaw through about ten of them and drag them over to the edge of the pit.

“Is that you Winston?” The lion asked,

“Yes friend lion. I am gathering help for you.” Winston said.

“Oh good, so who have you brought to help Winston?” the lion asked getting excited that he might actually be getting out.

“I have brought friend mouse.” Winston yelled over the edge of the pit.

“Oh great a frog and mouse.” The lion said terribly disappointed. “How is that going to help? Are you going to pull me out with your great size and strength?”

“See,” said friend mouse, “he is not even grateful. He is not worth saving.”

“But we are not doing it for him friend mouse.” Winston said wisely, “We are doing it for the Lord. None of us are worth saving but He saved us anyway.”

“Ok.” Said friend mouse and he set out to do his work.

“Do not be discouraged friend lion because we are small. I am not yet done gathering helpers. I have a plan and it will work just be patient.” And with that Winston took off to find the next helper.

Winston began to climb a near by tree. Finally he spotted the one he was looking for sitting in a top limb. He hurried to the limb. “Good day friend Monkey is it well with you today.” Winston greeted him.

“Uh yeah I’m having a blast just hanging around.” And at that the monkey hung upside down and began to laugh at his own joke.

“Friend monkey we have a serious problem and we need your help.” Winston said explaining the whole situation with the lion once again.

“Duh I don’t think I should help the lion because he’s not nice. He called me stupid and uh something else. I can’t remember but it wasn’t nice. I don’t have to take that you know. Do I? Well no I don’t think so.” And with that the monkey was hanging upside down again humming to himself.

“Friend monkey do you have Jesus in you heart? Are you a Christian?” Winston asked trying to keep it simple.

“Uh oh yeah. I have Jesus in my heart. Yeah.” Friend monkey said

“Then you have probably heard the scripture where Jesus said in Matthew 25: 40 And the King will answer and say to them, `Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' When we help others it doesn’t matter if they are worthy or even if they are nice, we are actually blessing and helping the Lord Jesus.” Winston explained.

“Wow I never thought of it like that.” The monkey said still upside down. “I guess I can do it for Jesus. He’s nice.”

So the monkey followed Winston to the pit. Winston told the monkey to begin tying the vines together into one long rope. He ignored the lion’s comments about two insignificant nothings and an idiot and he suggested the others do the same because they are really doing this for the Lord. Then he set out to find the next helper.

He felt the ground shaking before he heard or saw him. He was concerned that he might not see him or hear him because he was so very big and Winston was so very small. So he climbed a tree that he thought he would be passing and waited. Sure enough it paid off. Soon a very large elephant came lumbering by and Winston jumped from the tree onto his back. He crawled over his back until he was close to his ear and began to talk to him right in his ear.

“Hello?” said the elephant. “Whose there?”

“My name is Winston and I am a frog.” Winston said

“Where are you friend frog I can’t see you?” friend elephant asked.

“I hope you don’t mind friend elephant but because I am so small that you would not see me or hear me, I have jumped from the tree on to your back and now I am under your ear talking to you.” Winston said.

“Well actually I think that was quite clever of you. But you must need something pretty badly to have taken such a chance. If you had fallen I might have stepped on you and wouldn’t even have known it. What can I do for you?” the elephant asked.

“Friend lion has fallen in a pit and hurt his paw and can’t get out. We need your great strength to pull him out friend elephant.” Winston said.

“That lion is an arrogant buffoon and he is certainly no friend of mine. He is a big bully to others and I well know if I were small like other creatures or even sick he would pounce on me as well. We are all safer with him in the pit. I say leave him there.” The elephant threw up his nose to make his point known and Winston almost fell.

“Whoa, please friend elephant, I won’t be able to hold on if you continue such a behavior.” Winston pleaded.

“Oh quite right, I am sorry.” The elephant said “I just get so angry when I think of that rascally lion.”

“I understand, really I do.” Winston said, “Being one of the smaller creatures he loves to pick on but it isn’t really about that now is it friend elephant? It’s about being Christ like and doing what Jesus would do if He were here. Only He is here in each one of us. Jesus said in Luke 6:31 "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.’ What would you like to be done for you if you were trapped in a pit and hurt friend elephant?”

The elephant thought about it. It really made so much more sense than just being angry. Jesus is in us and what would he as an elephant want others to do for him if he were trapped. “Very well friend frog.” Said the elephant, “I will do this for the Lord.”

Winston talked in his ear and guided him to the pit. He had the monkey tie the vine around the elephant’s neck and them climb down the vines (as monkeys climb vines all the time) into the pit and tie the other end of the vine around the lions middle just under his arms.

While they were doing all that Winston had one more helper to get. A dangerous chance he was taking at best but he knew it was the right thing to do. He went into the woods where he knew there was a snake, a snake that eats frogs. Winston hopped right up to him. The snake was shocked. “What a treat lunch is coming to me for a change. What ever has possessed you to come right up to me like this?” the snake asked.

“Well friend snake…” Winston began

“Oh that is a good one right there, friend snake. But do continue I have a feeling I am going to get a story with my lunch.” The snake said

“Well as I was saying friend snake you know it is not easy for me to come to you and quite frankly I am terrified of you. I wouldn’t come to you if it weren’t extremely important. I need your help.” Winston began

“You need my help. This is hilarious and very entertaining, oh please do continue or do you want to tell me the rest of the story from the inside of my stomach?” the snake said eyeing him hungrily.

Winston ignored the threat. He knew he was in grave danger. “As I was saying we need your help. Friend lion has fallen into a pit and hurt his paw. We are working on getting him out of the pit but we need your help to set his paw once he is out. Will you help us please?” Winston ended praying the Lord would also move upon the snake’s heart, if he has one.

“Why should I care if that dumb ole lion is hurt? He stepped on me the other day and I know he did it on purpose. He’s rotten to the core. Perhaps with a hurt paw he will be less trouble. But why are you helping him? I would think he would be dangerous to you as well as I am. You mean you took a chance on me eating you to help a no good rotten lion that won’t be thankful or even care when you are eaten?” the snaked was indeed bewildered by this and wanted an answer before lunch.

“Yes.” Winston said a tear falling down his little green face. “It is what the Lord would do if He were here. We all have our faults. Mine is being fearful, and the money is an idiot, the bird is crazy, the elephant is a klutz, the mouse is timid, and even you friend snake have not seemed to me to be the most Christ like of creatures. But nonetheless with all of our faults, as bad as we are Christ died for us that we might be saved. None of us deserved it. But He did it anyway. He loved us, died for us and forgave us. That was our example wasn’t it? To help those who are not worthy and to love the unlovable.”

With this Winston sat down not caring anymore about the danger. “Eat me if you will but I love the Lord very much and in spite of all my fears I do so want to be like Him as much as possible, to please Him and do what He would have me to do, what He would do if He were here and indeed He is here right now inside of us and it is up to us what we will let Him do through us.”

Winston waited for the bite to come. He knew he was too close to even vaguely try to run away. But the bite did not come. Winston turned to see the snake had hung his head in shame. “I would be honored to go and help you friend frog.” He said quietly. Winston was shocked but pleased. He led the way back to the pit.

Winston let the elephant know when to pull and when to stop and soon the lion was out of the pit. The mouse then gnawed through the vines loosing both the lion and the elephant of the vines tied around them. Then Winston instructed the snake to wrap himself tightly around the lions paw and squeeze downward forcing the bone into position. “This will hurt friend lion but it is for your own good. If you remain crippled you will not live long in the jungle.” Winston said.

The lion agreed and braced himself. The snake winked at Winston and whisper where only he could hear. “At least this part will be fun.” Winston could help but giggle. What an unlikely group of misfits they were all working together, not for the lion but for the Lord. The snake squeezed the paw and the lion roared in pain but the paw was back in place.

Winston instructed the monkey to put banana leaves around the paw and then wrap it tightly with vines to hold it in place until it could heal. Well that was the last of it everyone began quickly to head off before the lion remembered they were edible.

Winston thanked them all for helping. They were all leaving when the lion roared loudly. They all turned. Was he threatening them after all they had just done for him? Boldly being the most in danger Winston walked right up to him. “Yes friend lion?” Winston asked.

“I use to think I was big and strong and nothing bad could ever happen to me. That I would never need anyone else’s help and it showed in the way I treated others. But today I learned to be small.” Gently he picked Winston up and held him up high, “And that the least of us is really the biggest of all. Without each one of you today I would have died. Each one of you had reasons to hate me. I know I deserved it. But because of one frog that loves the Lord we all learned to be Christ like today. I want to thank all of you very much and I especially want to thank my friend Winston.”

The small crowd of misfits cheered and each came and thanked Winston for being such a fine example of Christ to them but the snake said it best. Jesus said in John 15:13. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.’ That is what Winston has done today. He risked his life again and again to save one that had been an enemy just like Jesus did for us. It has changed my life and I dare say all of our lives and made Jesus Christ very real to each one of us. Thank you Winston.”

Winston didn’t know what to say. He had never been treated so well. They all thanked him and said good-bye and then the monkey took Winston back to his tree for it really was too far and dangerous for him to hop. That night as Winston clung to his tree he gazed out at the stars and talked to his Lord as he often did at night. “This morning I was a small insignificant frog but tonight I am hero. But I have not changed. It is not really me that is the hero. It is you Lord. I just want to thank you that this time you did it through me. Amen.”