Spiritual Leapfrog

Views: 69

[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 2 page.]

Remember those “good old days” when we played our childhood games? One of the games every child plays is “leapfrog.” I remember it well. As few as two or as many, as could be rounded up in the neighborhood could play simultaneously. The game simply consists of hopping (over the back of a friend) from one spot to another. Some people never outgrow this game but carry it from childhood right up into adulthood. Let me illustrate:

1. A new bus program is announced to the church. The need is sounded for volunteers to canvass the area of the routes, to ride on the buses, to sit with the children during worship, to visit the absentees and other jobs. Brother Joe Blow responds with an exceptional zeal for this work—for the first three weeks. Then he can’t be found. Ask him why and he may tell you it’s not what he expected, it’s too cold (or hot), or his daughter has a hangnail on her little toe. Such an “on-again—off- again” type is playing spiritual leapfrog. He needs to remember that Paul exhorts, “be ye steadfast…always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:54).
2. Then there is sister Suzy Sensitive who seems to be such a pious soul. But the preacher talked about her pet vice one Sunday and then the elders got up and “amened” it. Instead of repenting, she reverted to her childhood—she just leaped right on over to another congregation. Sister Suzy has forgotten Jesus’ indictment of such childish behavior: “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Mat. 23:28).
3. Perhaps the most common leapfrogger at present is brother Wishy Washy. He can never be pinned down on any issue. He can make an equally good case for either side of any question put to him, depending on who he is with. Quote him, and he will leapfrog to another position, hiding behind a pitiful, “I was misunderstood.” He never quite decides where he stands on any question. Paul urges: “. . . be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine… (Eph. 4:14).

If we follow inspired direction, we will lay aside this childhood game: “Watch ye,            stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13).

[Note: I wrote this article for and it was published in the August 1, 1974, edition of Granbury Gospel, weekly bulletin of the Church of Christ, Granbury, Texas, of which I was editor.]

Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.