Why walk when you can fly?

"There I was on the side of the road, eyes fixed on the grass and trees that alluded me. I need to be over there. The lushness of spring is so inviting and there's no need to waste the little time I have walking this barren and dirty sidewalk." Those were the thoughts of a bird I saw the other day, walking on the side of the road. I know that's what he was thinking, because I'm talented in that way. He was determined to cross the road to where the trees, grass, and shrubs grew. The landscapes on either side of the road were so different from each other and I knew that bird was intent on reaching his destination. At first I wasn't quite sure what "it" was, because he stepped into incoming traffic and was attempting to cross the street on foot. Union Street is not that busy on Sunday mornings, but there are still enough vehicles out on the road to make crossing six lanes quite difficult. Especially when your legs are but a few inches long. The light had turned red and I was transfixed on the scene that was developing in front of me. I watched in horror as the bird attempted to cross, walking step by step. Oh no! Watch out!! I honked my horn as the cars on the opposite side began to accelerate, for the light had just turned green. I couldn't understand why the bird was trying to walk across the street. It was a large bird. With my urban and vegetarian upbringing in tow, I concluded it must be a wild turkey or something of that nature. One car swerved to the left to avoid hitting it, another did the same. I was glued to my seat, hands on my face, mouth shaped in an "O", heart beating fast as I waited for the explosion of feathers. But in a flash of a moment, the wings spread, the bird took flight, and projected itself upward away from the dangerous traffic. The bird was actually a duck, a large duck. With a sigh of relief, I remembered that the light had been green for some time and I needed to proceed before I became a sitting duck to some unobservant driver.

I asked myself why on earth would that duck not try to fly to reach his destination? Why attempt to cross the street on foot, when he possessed one of the most amazing of God's inventions: wings? Silly duck, I thought. His experience stayed with me most of the day, and though it's been over two weeks, I still think about this duck.

Funny, but I'm not that much different. How many times have I attempted feats of ordinary measures with talents that I do not possess? Instead of using the faculties that the Lord so graciously has given me, I stumble through life, walking and crawling instead of using the wings He has given me. How dangerous it is to cross the roads of life without using my head and the wisdom that the Lord provides. That duck taught me a very valuable lesson. And how awesome of God to illustrate it to me in person.