1588) I would imagine many of us know about the phenomena that if you place a frog in a pan of water and start heating it, as the temperature rises to boiling, the frog won’t jump out because the change was so gradual, it didn’t notice it.

I think this same thing can happen to us. When we’re in a situation that has grown gradually worse, we may not realize how bad it is until we move out of the situation. The writer of Proverbs 29:2 understood this.

He tells us when the righteous people grow in numbers; it changes the entire atmosphere in which they live. These are the people who work hard, pay their bills, are kind to others and live a life of integrity. These things surrounding others will make a positive difference in their lives, even if they are not followers of God.

Unfortunately, the opposite is true too. If the righteous don’t behave in this manner, it will also affect those who are not God’s children. In fact, it often gives them an excuse why they do not wish to become worshippers of the true God.

Let’s not forget the lesson of the frog in the kettle. It can literally make a world of good.