Duck Church

Dare I say, most of us are investing our first and best, our most and our fullest, in two areas: (1) Our careers, and (2) The life that the money our careers bring us. That’s it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine to earn a living, but if that’s the goal line, you will never experience the life you long for. No assembly line is going to manufacture a widget that brings purpose into your life. No deal, no contract, no stock option, no corner office, is going to make you feel at the end of your life like you did something of eternal significance.

Let me be frank with you: Many of you believe. Many of you consider yourself a Christian, but you’re not living it. You’re not serious about it. You’re not committed to it. How long is that going to go on? What are you waiting for? This is your one and only life, and you’re spending it fast.

It reminds me of a story by Soren Kierkegaard about a make-believe country where only ducks live. One Sunday morning, he said, all the ducks devotedly waddled into the duck church, waddled down the aisle, waddled into their pews, and squatted. Then the duck minister came in, took his place behind the duck pulpit, and opened the duck Bible and read, “Ducks! You have wings, and with wings, and with wings you can fly like eagles. You can mount up and can soar into the sky! Ducks, you can escape the confinement of pens and fences and know the joy of absolute freedom! You have wings, now go fly!” To which all of the ducks in the duck church stood to their feet and shouted with a hearty “Amen!” … and then waddled home.

As Christians we don’t have to waddle through life. We have been set free. We don’t have to live in the confinements of this world. There’s nothing more useless than someone who is a Christian in name only. Someone who carries the title, but doesn’t live the life takes God’s name in vain without saying a word. Christianity is not simply about a life that is informed with certain truths. It’s about a life that’s been transformed by the Truth.

Christians, your hope is in the Lord. He will renew your strength. You will soar on wings like eagles. You will run and not grow weary. You will walk and not be faint. You don’t have to waddle through life.

(Sources: Soren Kierkegaard, James White)