When Change Seems Impossible
Have you ever heard the story of the frog in the kettle? Place a frog in boiling water, and it will immediately jump out. But place it in room-temperature water and gradually increase the heat, and the frog will stay put until it's too late. While this analogy may be more folklore than science, it illustrates a profound truth about human nature.
In Jesus' day, the religious system had gradually shifted from God's original intent. Like that proverbial frog, the people didn't notice the slow drift from true worship to ritualistic religion. The Pharisees had added layer upon layer of rules and traditions until the heart of God's law was nearly unrecognizable. As Jesus said, "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered" (Mark 7:13).
I wonder how many of those sincere worshippers realized something was amiss? Perhaps some felt the "temperature rising" but couldn't quite identify the problem. Others might have recognized the issues but felt powerless to affect change. After all, who were they to question centuries of tradition?
But Jesus saw what others couldn't—or wouldn't—see. He understood that sometimes the most dangerous changes aren't the sudden ones but the gradual drifts that occur so slowly that we hardly notice them. Like that frog in slowly heating water, we can become comfortable with situations that should make us uncomfortable.
The Lord didn't immediately overturn the tables in the temple. He spent three years teaching, demonstrating, and gradually opening eyes to the truth. He knew that lasting change requires more than just pointing out problems. It requires hearts prepared to receive truth.
"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him" (John 4:23).
Perhaps you've noticed something in your life, church, or community that needs to change. Maybe, like that slowly heating water, things have gradually shifted away from God's best. The question then becomes: what's our role in bringing about necessary change?
The Bible gives us examples of both waiting and working. Moses waited forty years in the wilderness before God called him to lead Israel. But once called, he had to act—to confront Pharaoh, lead the people, and implement God's laws. Nehemiah waited and prayed before approaching the king about Jerusalem's walls, but then he rolled up his sleeves and got to work. Even Jesus, though He knew the religious system needed reform, waited for His Father's perfect timing, but when that time came, He acted with purpose and conviction.
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Sometimes, God calls us to wait patiently while He prepares hearts—including our own—for change. Other times, He calls us to be His instruments of transformation, working with wisdom and grace to restore what has drifted from His design.
The key lies in discerning which season we're in. Through prayer, Scripture study, and seeking godly counsel, we can better understand whether God is calling us to wait or to work. Either way, our actions should always be guided by love, wisdom, and a desire to see God's kingdom advanced—not our own agenda.
If you find yourself in a situation that needs change, don't just sit back and wait for someone else to notice. Pray fervently. Study God's Word diligently. And be ready, whether God calls you to patient waiting or active participation in His work of transformation. After all, He often uses ordinary people, working in His extraordinary power, to bring about the changes He desires.