An article published some years ago in the Springfield, Oregon Public School newsletter makes a point very well. It said this:
Once upon a time the animals decided they should do something meaningful to meet the problems of the new world. So they organized a school. They adopted an activity curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects. The duck was excellent at swimming; in fact, better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to drop swimming and stay after school to practice running. This caused his web feet to be badly worn so that he was only average in swimming. But average was quite acceptable so nobody worried about that except the duck.
The rabbit started at the top of his class in running be developed a nervous twitch in his leg muscles because of so much make-up work in swimming. The squirrel was excellent in climbing but he encountered constant frustration in flying class. The reason was his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He developed charley-horses from overexertion and only got a "C" in climbing and a "D" in running.
The eagle was a problem child and was severely disciplined for being a non-conformist. In climbing class he beat all the others to the top of the tree but insisted on using his own way to get there.
The obvious moral to the story is simple. Every creature has his own set of capabilities in which it will succeed unless it is expected or forced to fill a mold that it doesn't fit. When that happens, frustrations, discouragement, even guilt produce overall mediocrity and ultimately defeat. A duck is a duck. It is built to swim, not to run or fly and certainly not to climb. And a squirrel is a squirrel, and on and on we go.
What is true of these creatures is in a real sense true of Christians in the family of God. God never made us the same. He made us to be exactly what we are. He planned and designed our differences and He wants us to function in unique design withing the body of Christ.
If we don't do that, we miss the whole purpose of what we are. We need to know the gifts that God has graciously given to us. And then go do what God has called us to do...in His grip.
Romans 12:3-8
Coach's tip - If you don't control your life, everything else will. The fruit of the Spirit ends with self-control.
A Duck is a Duck by John MacArthur
Wits End - What's Going Into Your Head?