Don’t Give up on yourself
Isaiah 40:31
Do you want to be a Duck or Eagle?
Harvey Mackay was waiting in line for a taxi at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie and freshly pressed black slacks, Wally the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back door. Harvey noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside spotlessly clean. As Wally slid behind the wheel, he said, "Would you like a cup of coffee?" Harvey said, "No, I’d prefer a soft drink." Wally smiled and said, "No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice." Almost stuttering, Harvey said, "I’ll take a Diet Coke." Handing Harvey his drink, Wally said, "If you’d like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today." As the taxi pulled away from the curb, Wally handed Harvey a laminated card and said, "These are the stations I get and the music they play if you’d like to listen to the radio." As if that weren’t enough, Wally told Harvey the air conditioning was on and asked if the temperature was comfortable. The driver then advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. Wally also let Harvey know that he’d be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts. "Tell me, Wally," the amazed passenger asked, "have you always served customers like this?" Wally smiled and looked in the rear view mirror. "No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard Wayne Dyer on the radio saying that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, ‘Stop complaining. Distinguish yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd." "So I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers unfriendly and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more." "I take it that has paid off for you," Harvey said. "It sure has," Wally replied. "My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year, I’ll probably quadruple it." Wally the cab driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like a duck and to start soaring like an eagle. Harvey Mackay.
IS 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.
There is story about a farmer who took an eagle egg and placed it in his hen’s nest. So the eagle was raised like a chicken. Try as he wanted he always had trouble trying to be a chicken. His heart kept telling him that some thing was not right. Much of the time he was lonely because he did not fit in. One time he tried to take off by flapping his wings and the farmer caught him and clipped his wings. This eagle kept looking up to the sky and felt he should be up there. One day as a storm came all the chickens were afraid and ran for cover. The little eagle was not afraid and he faced the storm. Time had passed since the farmer had clipped his wings and so they were able to be used. The eagle flapped his wings and he was able to take off. He heard the cry of another eagle up in the sky to which he flew to. He was out of the chicken yard forever. I like this story because it tells us that we can break free from anything that is holding us back from being what God intended for us to be. God has a purpose for you and He does not want us to stay in the barn yard. I am not saying it is easy for it will take hard work, taking risks, enduing loneliness, leave some things behind, make hard decisions, be misunderstood, be judged and criticized to enjoy the fullness of God in your life. As an eagle is uncomfortable in a chicken yard so you will be uncomfortable if you are not seeking to be all God wants you to be. Don’t be content to be in a barnyard when God has the blue open skies for you to fly through. Your hunger to be more than you are is a God given hunger found only with life in Him.
An eagle is an example of strength, perseverance and determination. It refuses to be denied its potential. It has sense in it to never give up. We also have a God given ability to soar as an eagle. We have to be committed and not give up. The eagle and chicken are both birds but they are very different. As we go through this message I would like for us to look at a comparison to birds and how it relates to people. As they relate to you I pray that you might see what change needs to be made to be an eagle Christian that God desires. As the eagle could not remain in the chicken coop we cannot stay satisfied for less than what God means for us to be.
1. We first look at the chicken. This is the person who is afraid with life and lives in fear. They become lazy and do not want to reach out or change to a better way of life. Their lives consist of walking around scratching the ground and clucking. The spend most if not all of their lives looking at the ground and never look up. They seem to be bound to the earth. They can flap their wings but they do not fly. They like being kept in by a fence and are satisfied with being cooped up. If they do get out of the chicken yard they do not know what to do with the freedom they could enjoy. When a storm arises they run for safety with other chickens in a huddle without a clue as to how to solve the problems they face. If we could liken this to a Christian it would be person who when difficulties come do not look up for a solution but run to hide in a safe place. One who wants to live for Jesus cannot be this way. For RM 8:37 says we are more than conquerors. Jesus said, “Be of good cheer, for I have overcome this world. Who are you serving? PR 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.
2. Let us consider the magpie. These birds are what we call bullies. They do not know how to be nice and pleasant and are rude and pushy. They spend their life abusing others. They are very selfish, arrogant and self-centered and become rude. Their mission in life is to make sure others do not enjoy life. We could liken this to a Christian who seem to drive others away form living a godly life. They are pushy and want to have their way at the expense of others. They do not want to share or help others feeling they might lose what they have. PR 13:6 Godliness helps people all through life, while the evil are destroyed by their wickedness.
3. The next bird is the Kookaburra. Here is bird that wants the party time. This bird is out to have fun, fun and more fun. Life to them is just one big joke. We would liken this to a Christian who never takes living for Jesus as a very serious matter. They want to laugh and not have to have any discipline. They are not sensitive to others and tend to hurt, wound or offend others from their behavior. The problem with these kinds of people is that they fail to realize how much they hurt others and seldom say they are sorry. 1 PT 1:13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. We are not to have fun at another’s expense. We need to be sensitive and understanding to how we make others feel. PR 15:13-14 A glad heart makes a happy face; a broken heart crushes the spirit.
4. We have birds called Vultures. They do not enjoy life and make it hard for others. These birds are attracted to garbage and dead things. They seem to be drawn to dead and dirty things. They enjoy the filth of life. All that is rotting, corrupt or stinks attract them. If we were to put this as a Christian it would be a person who are glad when others fail, have problems or miserable. They spend their time trying to find rumors or gossip they can spread about others. This is a way they can make themselves feel better than others. PR 13:2 Good people enjoy the positive results of their words, but those who are treacherous crave violence.
5. We have the bird called parrot or a cockatoo. These birds have a big talk but do not back it up in their walk. These are birds that like to talk a lot or mimic others. The Christian parallel here is the one make a good talk but do not do the walk. It appears they know more than any one else but it is only because they steal from what others have said or mimic being holy. They have knowledge about God but do not have a personal relationship with Him. They can make lots of noise but they do not live a holy life. They can talk about how to live but do not back it up by their actions because they have no experiences that show a holy life. PR 14:23 Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!
6. A cuckoo is a bird that does not like to work. The word I would use for this bird is lazy. They like to sponge off of others. They do not build their own nests but plant their eggs in a nest of another bird. They do not take the time to raise the little ones but let the bird that hatches them. This would be like the Christian who takes the handouts from others. They are like the Henny Penny story of the one who lets others do all the work but wants the food in the end. They like to take credit for what others do as though they have done it themselves. They honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. PR 13:4 Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper and be satisfied.
7. We now look at the proud peacock. This bird is very proud of itself but is just a bunch of bird feathers and loud voice. This is a bird that struts around showing off. They want everyone to know how beautiful they are. A person who is peacock Christian is one who are flashy, worldly, full of pride and very much in love and impressed with themselves. They have a better than you attitude.
8. We might be like the little canary. This bird does not know how to enjoy the freedom of a God given life. These birds are beautiful and have great potential but they spend their lives in a locked cage. Of all birds they are best at singing. They know how to sing but they remain locked in a cage that prevents them from a life of freedom. A person who might be like a canary seems to be OK but remain content to live below what God would like them to be. The cage they like to stay in can be tradition (it has always been this way why change?), a pitiful prayer life (There are those who think they not receiving anything from God all. Living in inferiority or insecurity being problem oriented that keep them from enjoying the freedom and joy that the living, loving God wants them to enjoy. They live life as a caged life and miss out on the blessings that God has for them a life that comes by being filled with the Holy Spirit. The bible says we re to be filled with all the fullness of God. PR 13:9 The life of the godly is full of light and joy, but the sinner’s light is snuffed out.
9. The CROW lives a life that is out to take and not give. This bird lives a self centered life. They are dirty, noisy, eat what does not belong to them and want to reduce the value of other people’s lives. They become unhappy if others are happy or have success. They ant it all for themselves and take from others. These crow Christians do not care for the spiritual lives of others and want to bring them down and not lift them up. They are the ones that pester eagles. PR 15:14 A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash.
(These Bird illustrations were taken from "Don’t Give up" by Joyce Meyers)
10. I challenge you to become an eagle Christian. We have to leave the life of the other nine birds I have mentioned. Eagles are bold, strong, courageous, a good attitude, are committed, reliable and devoted as they live their lives. They are ones who face the storms of life and fly into them and use the storms to become stronger. They know how to stand alone in the storm and fly above the clouds of darkness and destruction.
The Bible says “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” What do you think of yourself? How do you feel about yourself? What is your attitude about yourself? Do you respect yourself? Do you value yourself? You cannot get away from yourself. I would say to you that valuing yourself, liking yourself and feeling good about yourself is important. 1 COR. 3:16-17 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple. 1 COR. 6:19-20 Or don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. RM 14:7-8 For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. While we live, we live to please the Lord. And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. So in life and in death, we belong to the Lord.
God wants you to be an Eagle Christian. He wants us to fly high, be bold, live with power, Keep circumstances and relationships in perspective, live in peace, stay strong and soar above the storms of life. God has given us His Holy Spirit that we might live the spiritual life we were meant to live. Is the Holy spirit in your life today? Will you let Him in?
Live as though Christ died yesterday,
He arose today and lives in your heart.
He is coming back tomorrow.
Brother Dennis
