One of my favorite Old Testament stories centers around Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathon, David’s dear friend. His story occurs in II Samuel chapters 4 through 16 where he is clearly a type of redeemed sinner. In fact, he is a lot like you and me!

Mephibosheth belonged to the royal family and was in line for the throne, but he was crippled by a bad fall. Because of the behavior of his grandfather, Saul, he had to live in exile. He was only allowed to return to Jerusalem because David wanted to keep his covenant with Jonathon and protect any of his descendants.

It was the merits of his father that allowed him to be called into the presence of the King. “’Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.’” (See II Sam 9:1-7)

Redeemed. Not because he deserved it. That crippled young man who scraped along the stone floor every evening as he entered the dining room of the King was redeemed.

David could have ignored Mephibosheth, but he took a different attitude. He sought out the scarred, imperfect young man and gave him a lofty position with rights and privileges.  And his attitude reminds me of a cute story I found in Bruce Larson’s book, Ask Me to Dance.

In that book, the author asks, “You ever feel like a frog? Frogs feel slow, low ugly, puffy, drooped and pooped. I know, one told me. The frog feeling comes when you want to be bright but feel dumb, when you want to share but are selfish, when you want to be thankful but feel resentment, when you want to be great but are small, when you want to care but are indifferent.”

“Yet at one time or another, each of us has found themselves on a lily pad, floating down the great river of life. Frightened and disgusted, we are too froggish to budge.”

Once upon a time, there was a frog, only he wasn’t really a frog. He was a prince who looked and felt like a frog. The wicked witch had cast a spell on him and only the kiss of a beautiful maiden could save him. But since when do cute chicks kiss frogs? So, there he sat, an unkissed prince in frog form. One day a beautiful maiden gathered him up and gave him a big smack!  The frog turned into a handsome prince and they lived happily ever after.”

So, what is the task of the Christian? Why, kissing frogs of course!

There must be a Mephibosheth in your life. Look around, he or she is disguised as a frog and needs a ton of encouragement. And it is our job this week to give him or her a big kiss. Just imagine what our world would be like if believers ran around looking for frogs to kiss! (And don’t forget, that’s how we got invited to the palace for dinner too!)