Do you remember these signs? I never really had a problem with these I think I was born at 5'3" so I almost always met the height requirement. But once in a while I didn't and boy was that difficult. Especially when others were tall enough.
But this desire to measure up isn't just an issue for roller coasters or the house of horrors it's something each of us struggle with nearly every day.
My neighbor has a nicer car than me.
My wife makes more money than I do.
My friend has a bigger house, a bigger TV, a louder surround sound system...
For me, I struggle to measure up when I look at other preachers. They are always better communicators, better closers, have bigger churches, better salary package and seem to be better at dealing with sin than me.
Measuring up when we compare ourselves to others in what we consider similar situations never ends well and we almost always feel more inadequate and less competent.
I heard someone say the other day that part of the problem lies in the fact that we are comparing our "normal" selves with others "best" and so we never get a fair shake. A woman who just woke up and flips through pages of a magazine is comparing herself with the made-up, dressed-up and touched-up woman in the pictures. When we compare we almost always lose.
I'll be that's how the Ostrich feels.
I think I said yesterday that this section of the book of Job is my favorite because God is now speaking and what He says is just fabulous - as long as He's saying it to Job and his "friends" anyway! Today, God tells Job to look at the Ostrich. When an ostrich flaps it's wings it is a pretty impressive sight. The ostrich is powerful and intimidating. It stands in majesty as it flaps it's wings as though it could any moment begin to overcome gravity and rise to the heavens. The ostrich is a majestic and power animal... but it's wings are useless. And even though the ostrich is much bigger and more powerful than the stork, when a stork flaps it's wings and soars into the sky all attention is off the ostrich. Poor ostrich.
And the ostrich isn't even able to say, "at least I'm a good mother!" An ostrich lays her eggs on the ground, exposed, to be warmed by the sun. While she goes off flapping her powerful wings someone finds breakfast just lying on the ground!
By this point the ostrich is feeling pretty low. All this size and strength and she can't fly and is a terrible mother. She's too short. She doesn't measure up. She sticks her head in the sand so no one can see her...
It's a sad day for the ostrich. But what if the ostrich challenged the stork to a foot race? When the ostrich begins to run there is virtually none faster. Though she can't fly she sets the bar in land speed! While she may not be a good mom, if her kids do survive they have an excellent example of how to, as Ricky Bobby would say, "go fast."
So while the ostrich can't fly and isn't a good parental roll model there is something she can teach us about comparing ourselves to others. Don't. There will be plenty of times when you don't feel like you measure up, but when you find that thing you are good at and you work to improve it you can be unstoppable. You may not be good at everything. You may not be as talented in certain areas as others. But God has given you something that you can do.
1 Corinthians 12:5-11
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good... [and] All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
It the ostrich spends all it's time trying to be a stork it will be very disappointed and consider it's life worth little. But when and ostrich runs, when it does what it was created to do, nothing can compare.
If you're on ostrich - be an ostrich.
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