Jonathan's Journey

Peter saw this children’s book on display as a chaplaincy resource book at the annual ACCESS chaplaincy conference that has recently convened. The basic narrative goes like this: The frog king has given two rules at the pond. One was to obey him and the other was not to go up the mountain. Jonathan, one young frog, displays great courage, and against advice, goes up the mountain. He discovers the bones of other ‘froggies’ who have gone before him, all killed and eaten by the evil snake “Sinesticus”. The young frog is caged by the snake for its breakfast the following day.

Down at the pond, the concerned frog king sends his son up the mountain to rescue Jonathan. This frog prince arrives just in time and offers himself in place of Jonathan. Jonathan’s last vision as he departs to descend the mountain is the prince’s legs sticking out of the snake’s mouth.

Upon returning, Jonathan tells all to the king and everybody else. He is greatly vexed for three days until the prince miraculously appears. The frog prince explains that the snake could not keep him down (for digestion) because he was too ‘good’ (or something along those lines). From then on, Jonathan becomes a devoted follower of the prince. 

Peter feels that this story contains questionable theology. He understands what the story is trying to convey: the sacrificial death of Jesus who took the world’s sin upon himself on the cross. But this book, for young children ages 6 -8, reveals conflicting concepts and raises worrying questions. For example, one question a child will ask is why didn’t the prince go up the mountain to save the earlier froggies? Another question asks why must curiosity and courage to climb a mountain relate to being evil and being engulfed by sin? 

We are living in a culture where ‘blind obedience’ is a thing of the past. In fact, to think outside the square, we must ‘climb our mountain’, to take some risks in life.  Jonathan was doing just that.

Perhaps the last word should be given to another author:

“Perhaps finding the right protection is the first responsibility of anyone hoping to make a difference in this world. Caring deeply makes us vulnerable. You cannot move things forward without exposure and involvement, without risk and process and criticism. Those who wish to change things may face disappointment, loss, or even ridicule. If you are ahead of your time, people laugh as often as they applaud, and being there first is usually lonely. But our protection cannot come between us and our purpose. Right protection is something within us rather than something between us and the world, more about finding a place of refuge and strength than finding a hiding place.” 
[Rachel Naomi Remen MD. My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging. (Sydney: Hodder, 2000), page 136]