Big Duck in a Little Pond...
While I was doing my 3-mile walk around the subdivision this morning (my weight-loss secret), I noticed a solitary Canadian Goose sitting in a puddle that must have been 3"-4" deep at the most - it was just a low place where some rainwater had puddled in one of the vacant lots. If I'd had my cellphone with me, I'd have taken his picture for you here (that's my 'shoulda, coulda, woulda entry for the week).
What a ridiculous picture! I mean, our subdivision has a 7-acre lake across the street from our house, plus a couple of other huge detention ponds, all of which attract hundreds of geese every year - yet here was this guy (well, I didn't check, but I'm guessing it was a male) just sitting in a mud puddle all by himself. I'm not sure he was actually floating 'cause I don't think there was enough water there to keep his butt afloat!
Reminds me of a lot of preachers and Christians I've known thru the years, who couldn't or wouldn't be content to play their role and use their gifts in a cooperative effort of a Big Pond with others of us ducks, but had to be the Big Duck in a Small Pond because of their own insecurity or ego or maybe just anti-socialism.
One thing is for sure: it's not near as much fun, sitting around by yourself, when you could be paddling around with others or soaring thru the skies on your way to a better place. I'm not tempted at all to be the Big Duck, and that's not because I'm the senior pastor at CLC. I'm just not wired that way - I'd much rather be a small part of what God is doing to make a difference in the world, than to splash around all by myself with an over-inflated ego.
How 'bout you? Rather be a Big Duck or be a part of God's Big Pond?
What a ridiculous picture! I mean, our subdivision has a 7-acre lake across the street from our house, plus a couple of other huge detention ponds, all of which attract hundreds of geese every year - yet here was this guy (well, I didn't check, but I'm guessing it was a male) just sitting in a mud puddle all by himself. I'm not sure he was actually floating 'cause I don't think there was enough water there to keep his butt afloat!
Reminds me of a lot of preachers and Christians I've known thru the years, who couldn't or wouldn't be content to play their role and use their gifts in a cooperative effort of a Big Pond with others of us ducks, but had to be the Big Duck in a Small Pond because of their own insecurity or ego or maybe just anti-socialism.
One thing is for sure: it's not near as much fun, sitting around by yourself, when you could be paddling around with others or soaring thru the skies on your way to a better place. I'm not tempted at all to be the Big Duck, and that's not because I'm the senior pastor at CLC. I'm just not wired that way - I'd much rather be a small part of what God is doing to make a difference in the world, than to splash around all by myself with an over-inflated ego.
How 'bout you? Rather be a Big Duck or be a part of God's Big Pond?
posted by Pastor Jerry McQuay at 8:02 AM
6 Comments:
Hilarious post! I'm all for the God pond~
This is a test. I can't seem to post.
I think it was Mother Theresa who said something like, It is much better to do small things with great love than great things with small love!
I wanted to drop you a line and let you know that your blog entry came at a very God time. I just had a conversation with one of my trainees in regards to being a team player. She was discouraged by some of her teammate’s behavior and had decided to exclude herself from the group. I encouraged her to rise above the mess, and continue to shine the way she always had in the past. I forwarded your blog entry to her, because it was RIGHT ON target with our conversation. I forwarded her response below. It looks like you can add one more reader to your blogspot. J
Oh that was a beautiful story!!! And it was such a great analogy! Thanks so much for sharing and I am going to be sure to keep up with the blogs. I like the concept. Thanks for sharing J I’ll choose to be a duck amongst many but I’ll also choose to make a difference in my role while being a duck. JJ
Thanks, Maria for passing on my words to your coworker - glad the post helped - that's why I do this!
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