An elderly man was taking his evening walk when he heard a little voice calling, “Help me! Help me!” The man looked around, but saw no one, so he continued walking. Once again he heard the tiny cry for help, and this time he looked down and saw a small frog. He gently picked it up and then suddenly the frog spoke. “I am a beautiful, young princess,” the frog said. “An evil witch placed a spell on me, but if you kiss me I will turn back into a princess. I promise that I would then love you forever.”
The man thought for a moment, then placed the frog in his front pocket, and continued his walk. After a couple of minutes, the frog looked up from the pocket and asked, “Why don’t you kiss me so I can become a beautiful, young princess?” The man replied, “Well frankly, at this stage in my life, I would rather have a talking a frog.”
Friends, as we grow older some of our priorities start to change. The fellow who loved to drive the sporty Mustang when he was twenty years old, may find he prefers the comfortable Lincoln when he turns seventy. The woman who loved her large five-bedroom home when her children were growing up, may decide she would rather live in a two-bedroom apartment now that she is alone. The guy who plays football or hockey any chance he gets may come to the point where he decides golf (or pickleball) is the only sport his body can handle. The gal who used to groove to all the “top forty” hit songs just a few years ago, now has her radio tuned to the “oldies station.” And there are indeed men who for many years would have loved to have a beautiful young princess by their side, but now would choose the financial potential of a talking frog.
As Christians, however, there are certain priorities that should not change for us. The Bible makes it clear that no matter what age we happen to be, our goals should be to love God, love others, and make disciples of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 22:37-39, 28:19) As the years go by and we find ourselves in different situations, the ways we do these things will change. A thirty-year-old mother often loves others by devoting a great deal of time and energy to the physical and spiritual welfare of her children. At age seventy, leading a women’s Bible study or spending time visiting residents of the local nursing home may be the best ways to spend her time. The call to make disciples may inspire a thirty-year-old man to volunteer to help lead the church youth group, but at age seventy that same individual may be focusing on short-term missions trips to Latin America.
Friend, no matter how old you are or what your life situation happens to be, loving God, loving other people, and making disciples need to be the top priorities in your life. If these truly are, you don’t need to worry that you are missing out on anything. As Jesus tells us, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) Those who are committed to honoring the Lord and serving others can find great joy in life without having either a beautiful, young princess or a talking frog.
The man thought for a moment, then placed the frog in his front pocket, and continued his walk. After a couple of minutes, the frog looked up from the pocket and asked, “Why don’t you kiss me so I can become a beautiful, young princess?” The man replied, “Well frankly, at this stage in my life, I would rather have a talking a frog.”
Friends, as we grow older some of our priorities start to change. The fellow who loved to drive the sporty Mustang when he was twenty years old, may find he prefers the comfortable Lincoln when he turns seventy. The woman who loved her large five-bedroom home when her children were growing up, may decide she would rather live in a two-bedroom apartment now that she is alone. The guy who plays football or hockey any chance he gets may come to the point where he decides golf (or pickleball) is the only sport his body can handle. The gal who used to groove to all the “top forty” hit songs just a few years ago, now has her radio tuned to the “oldies station.” And there are indeed men who for many years would have loved to have a beautiful young princess by their side, but now would choose the financial potential of a talking frog.
As Christians, however, there are certain priorities that should not change for us. The Bible makes it clear that no matter what age we happen to be, our goals should be to love God, love others, and make disciples of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 22:37-39, 28:19) As the years go by and we find ourselves in different situations, the ways we do these things will change. A thirty-year-old mother often loves others by devoting a great deal of time and energy to the physical and spiritual welfare of her children. At age seventy, leading a women’s Bible study or spending time visiting residents of the local nursing home may be the best ways to spend her time. The call to make disciples may inspire a thirty-year-old man to volunteer to help lead the church youth group, but at age seventy that same individual may be focusing on short-term missions trips to Latin America.
Friend, no matter how old you are or what your life situation happens to be, loving God, loving other people, and making disciples need to be the top priorities in your life. If these truly are, you don’t need to worry that you are missing out on anything. As Jesus tells us, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) Those who are committed to honoring the Lord and serving others can find great joy in life without having either a beautiful, young princess or a talking frog.
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