Jumping Tomatoes - Creation Moments

Exodus 8:2
“And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:”

“What a delicious-looking tomato,” you say to yourself. But as you reach for it, that bright red tomato suddenly comes to life and jumps away in pursuit of its own lunch! That “tomato” you almost grabbed is actually a tomato frog, a creature found only on the island of Madagascar.

Just before the frog jumped out of your reach, it puffed up its shiny red body because it regarded you as a threat. Fortunately for you, the frog came nowhere near your lips. You see, when a predator bites down on a tomato frog, the frog’s skin secretes a thick substance that gums up the predator’s mouth and eyes – a superb defense mechanism that reminds us of the mucus secreted by hagfishes.

According to a book called Astonishing Animals, evolution is the reason why the tomato frog is bright red in color. The authors say it is mimicking the bright color of the poison arrow frog of Central America. But wait a minute! There are no poison arrow frogs on the island of Madagascar, so how could the tomato frog’s bright color be attributed to mimicry? It can’t mimic a frog that no creature on the island has ever seen!

Once again, when you’re an evolutionist, evolution accounts for absolutely everything in nature. Creationists reject that kind of thinking. We believe that God blessed the island of Madagascar with many unique and colorful creatures. And each one was given just the right combination of characteristics by its Creator.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, though many people consider frogs to be creepy, I know You created them to be an essential part of our planet’s ecosystem. So, creepy or not, I praise You even for the lowly frog. Amen.

Author: Steven J. Schwartz
Ref: “Tomato frog,” Astonishing Animals, T. Flannery and P. Schouten (Atlantic Monthly Press, New York), pp. 122-123. Photo: Tomato frog. Courtesy of © Alfeus Liman.