BEAUTIFUL FROGS?

 ‘Poison Dart Frog’ photo by Dimitry on Unsplash.

Have you ever seen these beautiful frogs?  (See photo above.)  They come in many bright colors, yellow, orange, red, green, gold and blue!!!  You just want to touch them….I wouldn’t recommend it, they are called ‘Poison Dart Frogs’ for a reason.  Their name comes from their use by hunters who coat their blowgun darts with potent batrachotoxin secretions from the frogs’ skin!   (Remember the scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark?).  Their colorful designs are a warning to predators that they are toxic.  In fact, the golden poison dart frog has enough poison to kill 20,000 mice.  What is interesting, is they are not toxic if raised in captivity.  Scientists believe they get their toxicity from some of the insects they eat in the rain forest.   They offer us a perfect warning metaphor.  There are many things in this world that look beautiful and appealing, but the Bible warns us that they are toxic like the frog and should be avoided for our own good.                                      

The metaphor is especially poignant regarding committing adultery.  Have you read Proverbs 5?  ‘The lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.  Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.  She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.  Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say.  Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house.’  King Solomon wrote this warning to his sons, but the same warning also applies to women.

Wow!  What a warning.  Her colors, like the frog are beautiful, but they are both extremely toxic, ‘Her feet lead straight to the grave!’

As William Shakespeare said in the 16^th century, ‘All that glitters is not gold’!

And what about ‘toxic’ relationships.  The frogs get their toxic poison from their environment. So do people.  Some become toxic due to unforgiveness, bitterness or sin.  The scriptures again offer the wisdom of choosing not to be in a potentially toxic relationship.   

‘Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers (Toxic people), but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.  
Psalm 1:1-3.

Here are a few good quotes regarding unhealthy, toxic relationships: 
“It’s better to be healthy alone than sick with someone else.” ― Dr. Phil. 

“Life is too short to hang around people who are causing you to compromise. Pulling you down. Your time is too valuable to waste it with people who don’t have a dream. People that aren’t going anywhere. You don’t need to make some big announcement, but little by little, you should spend less time with them.” ― Joel Osteen.

“Don’t light yourself on fire trying to brighten someone else’s existence.” ― Charlotte Eriksson.

And again, the scripture offers us wisdom in relationships!
‘Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?’  2 Corinthians 6:14.

The Poison Dart Frog reminds us to be careful regarding our relationships as Bryant McGill, a human potential thought leader, international bestselling author, activist and social entrepreneur writes:

“Toxic relationships are dangerous to your health; they will literally kill you. Stress shortens your lifespan. Even a broken heart can kill you. There is an undeniable mind-body connection. Your arguments and hateful talk can land you in the emergency room or in the morgue. You were not meant to live in a fever of anxiety; screaming yourself hoarse in a frenzy of dreadful, panicked fight-or-flight that leaves you exhausted and numb with grief. You were not meant to live like animals tearing one another to shreds. Don’t turn your hair gray. Don’t carve a roadmap of pain into the sweet wrinkles on your face. Don’t lay in the quiet with your heart pounding like a trapped, frightened creature. For your own precious and beautiful life, and for those around you — seek help or get out before it is too late. This is your wake-up call!”  Bryant McGill 

If you want to learn more about ‘toxic’ relationships, you can click on the following link: ‘How Does the Bible Caution Us About Toxic People’ on biblestudytools.com.

https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/how-does-the-bible-caution-us-about-toxic-people.html

If you want to view more of these beautiful frogs, click on the following link: