The Church in the Kettle

You have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, . . . even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
–1 Peter 1:6–7

In 1990, George Barna wrote a bestselling book titled The Frog in the Kettle based on the famous analogy: If you place a frog in a kettle of boiling water, the frog will jump out to save itself. But if you place the frog in a kettle of tepid water and gradually raise the temperature, the frog won’t realize what’s happening around it until it’s too late. Barna was warning Christians to be aware of subtle changes in the culture around them.

This is certainly true for the church when it comes to persecution. Persecution against the church usually happens incrementally, so it’s important that we be aware of the environment around us. That’s the theme of Acts 5.

At the beginning of the chapter, there’s a seemingly unrelated story about Ananias and Sapphira. They lied about how much money they had given to the church, and God struck them dead on the spot. Verse 11 says, “Great fear came over the whole church.” I imagine so! In fact, I’m sure this motivated the rest of the church to clean up their act. This is not an unrelated story; this is a story about the purification of the church.

Before God uses us, He needs to purify us. If a craftsman wants to fashion a piece of gold jewelry, the craftsman first heats the gold to expose and remove the impurities. This is what God does in our lives. In 1 Peter 1:6, the apostle wrote, “For a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.” Trials come in different shapes and sizes. Sometimes our trials are the result of God’s discipline. Sometimes our trials are adverse circumstances, such as illness or financial problems. But regardless of the shape, size, or source of our trials, God uses them to purify us, to remove sin from our lives. Peter continued, “So that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (v. 7).

God allows various trials to come into our lives not to destroy us but to strengthen us so we can be used by Him–and so we can endure persecution when it comes.

Today’s devotion is adapted from “The Church in the Kettle,” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2021.

George Barna, The Frog in the Kettle: What Christians Need to Know About Life in the Year 2000 (Baker, 1990).

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.