Buzzards, bats and bumble bees

The name Wayne Rice, editor of the book entitled “More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks” is familiar to me. I’ve used many of the stories found from that book and have found it helpful in giving life lessons. Delightfully however, I came across a material this time written by JamesDanhof, also from an Internet site and his contributions have really caught my attention to his wisdom in catching lessons fit for life learning. Allow me to share with you his findings on three kinds of creatures that never learned how to fly given an abnormal situation. 

If you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of his ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten or twelve feet. Without space to run, as is his habit, he will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no hope.

Some people need a wide space to run before they can take off. They need a lot of room, a situation that is almost perfect before they can get up and get going. But in an age where speed is of the essence. In a time when even world famous business guru Philip Kotler reminding us in his seminar that he would rather make a wrong decision fast, then rectify it. Rather than wait for the right time to come up with a decision that becomes totally irrelevant because the times have changed. Buzzard like people will never be able to make it in the 21st century. The Buzzard does this out of habit. If this is your habit, then you better eliminate it, or substitute it with a healthier habit where you can get up and get going. 

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

Bat-like people are also found in different business organizations. They are nimble, given their ordinary situation and environment, but when you change their surroundings, they shuffle about helplessly and no doubt painfully. They still need time to gain a slight elevation. But once this is achieved, then it moves very fast.

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

I see a lot of bumblebee workers in the business organization today. They have been dropped into an open tumbler. Their office cubicles have become their tombs and they can’t get out.

Why? Because they have limited their own options. 

They work only for the sole purpose earning some money during payroll period in order to make ends meet. There is no desire for them to improve themselves. 

They never read a book, they do crossword puzzles or even solitaire in the office. The only exercise they have is the strengthening of their jaw muscles because their only worthwhile activity is to engage in office gossips. These people stay in their open tumblers, believes that the only way to make money is to be involved in some grand “get-rich-quick scheme,”and so they devise ways that would ultimately destroy themselves.

There are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat, and the bee. They are struggling about with all their problems and frustrations, not realizing that the answer is right there above them. They fail to understand one important lesson in life. That the Only Way Out is Up!

The Psalmist said, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from which my help comes. My help comes from the Lord.” Our best source of help is just above us, but we need to look up and ask. Devising things our own way will never pull us out of our self-made pit.

Friends, look up. It’s simply a matter of trust.Whether you are a buzzard, a bat or a bumblebee, understand that God is trustworthy and you’re not. Whatever your situation is in life today, you might want to stop trying and start trusting. Trust God to be your Source of help.

Don’t just move on you need to move up! 

(Francis Kong will be the lead trainer for the Dr. John Maxwell’s “Developing the Leader Within You” leadership program this November 18-19 at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. He will also do a repeat of his highly successful “Culture of Personal Excellence on Nov. 26, 2009 at the Garden Ballroom of EDSA Shangrila-Hotel. For further inquiries contact Inspire Leadership Consultancy Inc. 632-6872614 or 09178511115)