A few years ago I helped transport my husband’s granddaughters to and from Vacation Bible School. Each afternoon I picked them up, dropped them at the church, then returned a few hours later to collect the girls and all their trinkets (pens and pencils, key chains, balloons, and bookmarks are synonymous with VBS) and delivered them to their mother.
Now every family has at least one child who needs to be reminded of what to do once she leaves the car. In this case, the youngest granddaughter needed explicit directions for what belonged in her house (sweatshirt, shoes, goodie bag, craft project) and what belonged in my car (nothing). She pulled on her shoes, tossed her sweatshirt into her goodie bag and ran toward the house.
"Hey,” I called after her. “Don’t forget your craft.”
“You can bring it,” she replied.
“No. You carried it to the car; you can get it to the house.”
“You can have it,” she called, pulling the screen door behind her.
Being rather stubborn myself, the craft remained in my car. She’ll miss it, I thought. I’ll return it when she asks for it.
Well, that was three years ago. Today that craft project hangs on the bulletin board next to my desk. One-and-a-half paper plates inverted, glued together and painted green, two eyes fixed to the top and four legs attached to the bottom. Daily, it serves to prompt my only true function for the day.
It’s my reminder to F-R-O-G—to Fully Rely On God.
This cute paper frog came into my life at a time I really needed his prompting. I had been struggling with God’s call on my life—a call to pastoral ministry. Was it really something I could do?
I felt pretty confident of the preaching and teaching roles. And the pastoral care—visiting and counseling—that was something that particularly suited me.
But my call seemed to speak specifically to outreach—gathering people to the safety and nurture of the church. Could I risk rejection to become an inviter?
And the administration...meetings and paperwork and keeping a budget in line. Could I handle the managerial aspects of running a church?
Solomon faced a similar dilemma when, at age 20, he was anointed to serve as king of Israel. Having received little mentoring or instruction from his faithful father David, Solomon earnestly sought help from God. He led the military officials and judges and heads of families to the place of worship. A thousand offerings were placed one after another on the holy bronze altar. Solomon waited in the quiet of the night. God appeared and asked what he wanted.
Solomon’s simple request was for wisdom to lead the tumultuous nation. He understood that he lacked experience. He acknowledged that he didn’t know how to lead. He recognized that his own natural inclinations were insufficient to guide the nation. With sincere humility, Solomon asked God for the understanding heart to judge, to discern between good and evil (1 Kings 3:9). Solomon Fully Relied on God to supply the wisdom to rule God’s people.
The frog on my bulletin board reminds me that I don’t have to rely on my training, experience, or even natural talent in order to do the work God has called me to do. There are many things I can’t do on my own. The frog reminds me that I’m not expected to do them on my own. I am, however, expected to F-R-O-G, to trust that He will supply what is needed…for me…and for the church He’s given me to lead.
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