On our third Lenten discussion, Frog and Toad learned the challenges of flyig a kite and we discussed the strengths and challenges of living in communities and how communities can be empowered by positive effort and persistence. We had 9 people present.
The characters of the story are Frog and Toad, 3 robins and Catherine suggested the wind as an additional character
This led to a discussion of the wind in the Bible.
She started with this poem "The Wind" by Christina Rosetti:
"Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you:
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.
"Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I:
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by."
Wind is "ruwach" in the Bible in the Hebrew. It has a variety of meanings –
Breath, air,strength, wind, breeze, spirit, courage, temper, Spirit. It can be aimlessness, no puprose. We read of the refreshing winds in Genesis and the Four winds of Jeremiah "And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation ." God breaths wind into people to bring them to life in Genesis
Strong’s Concordance
“The wind is regarded in scripture as a fitting emblem of the mighty penetrating power of the invisible God. The breath is supposed to symbolize not only the deep feelings that are generated within man sucha as sorrow and anger, but also kindred feelings in the Divine nature. God and God alone has the faculty of communicating his Spirit or life to His creatures, who are thus enabled to feel, think, speak, and act in accordance with the Divine will. "
What is Frog’s expectation? What conditions lead him to believe that his plan will work?
"Our kit will fly up an up." They were in an open field and it was a windy day. Frog is going to hold the ball of string and Toad will run with the kite to get it flying
->What conditions are needed for good community?
Support, expectations, optimism, good communication, common goals, leadership, optimism
-> What happens ?
The story is about perseverance. Good community demands that because things rarely go according to plan. It took 4 tries to get the kite flying – Toad ran, Toad ran and waved the kite over his head, Toad ran and waved the kite over his head and jumped up and down and finally Toad ran and waved the kite over his head and jumped up and down and shouted "up kite up"
-> The three robins What are they doing? What is their attitude?
The robins are a negative force, the "doubting Thomas". They provide no assistance, only criticism. The kite needs wind to fly but they don’t need wind. They seem smug and superior. We need the holy spirit to fly the kite and many other things in community
The end in particular is challenging with the robins bested by the kite
"The robins flew out of the bush.
But they could not fly as high as the kite. "
"Frog and Toad sat and watched their kite.
It seemed to be flying way up at the top of the sky."
Their hopes and dreams had succeeded
->What about negativity in community? (We’ve always done it that way. Apathy. Tearing something down, criticism for criticism’s sake)
It cause you to withdraw, feel like you need to give up, creates anger in this case to the robins who believe nothing will work
->How does Toad handle negativity?
Toad buys into it—and repeats the comments of the birds, word for word, to Frog. He is gullible. We listen to others often and fail to listen to our own voice. He takes the wind right out of you.
What is Frog’s response?
He is flexible. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
He is the stable force, the determined force, the catalyst to make things happen. Frog is benevolent – he puts up with Toad’ negativity
->What are some things that you’ve gotten to fly in your life that have taken perseverance?
The new mentoring program, the community dinner program
What is the thing that you are trying to fly right now? Who is encouraging you? Who is telling you it won’t work?
This led to certain initiatives where certain people said it would not work. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions, search out alternatives. Prayer is an important part of the process.
-> Community in the Bible
1 Corinthians—Paul is asking this divided congregation to show the unity and love that go along with belonging to Christ.
1 Corinthians 12 This chapter is about how our differences work together for good when we remember that we are one body with many members.
1 Corinthians 14:26b
Let all things be done for building up
-> Endurance in the Bible
Romans 5:1-11
Vs 3-5 We also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
-> Perseverance
E.K. Talbot (1877-1949)
"There is urgency in our Lord’s sayings. Ask, seek, knock. These are big words as if no haphazard listlessness constituted prayer but long, long perseverance. Nobody is going to last for more than a week in perseverance unless he seriously recognize that, if we are to grow, it is not by a slow meandering along pleasant paths, but by stern climbing, ready for all the adventures of the way, all the different climates through which we must pass. God tempers our souls to be strong, supple serviceable, pliant weapons in his hands. Prayer is just clinging to God with one hand when the other has failed; if both have failed then, somehow, clinging on by the eyelids; like a cat which clings on to you and if you detach one claw there is always another claw and then another. "
-> Christian Community
"Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Whether it be a brief, single encounter or the daily fellowship of years, Christian community is only this. We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ. What does this mean? It means, first, that a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ. It means, second, that a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ. It means, third, that in Jesus Christ we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time, and united for eternity."
"Because Christian community is founded solely on Jesus Christ, it is a spiritual and not a psychic reality. In this it differs absolutely from all other communities. The basis of all spiritual reality is the clear, manifest Word of God in Jesus Christ."
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, Chapter 1
Frog and Toad- "The Kite" (full size gallery)