Specialist or Generalist?

Here is an interesting parable, entitled "A Rabbit on the Swim Team".

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 of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.

Photo: Botanical Garden, Clemson

The duck was excellent in swimming; in fact, better that 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.

sketch from internet

The squirrel was excellent in climbing, but he encountered constant frustration in flying class because his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He developed “charlie horses” from overexertion, and so only got a C in climbing and D in running.

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The rabbit started at the top of his class in running, but developed a nervous twitch in his leg muscles because of so much make-up work in swimming.

photo: Bald Eagle at Shaver's Creek

The eagle was a problem child and was severely disciplined for being a non-conformist. In climbing classes, he beat all the others to the top of the tree, but insisted his own way to get there…

The obvious moral of the story is a simple one – each creature has its own set of capabilities in which it will naturally excel – unless it is expected or forced to fill a mold that doesn’t fit. When that happens, frustration, discouragement, and even guilt bring overall mediocrity or complete defeat. A duck is a duck – and only a duck. It is built to swim, not to run or fly and certainly not to climb. A squirrel is a squirrel – and only that. To move it outs of its forte, climbing, and then expect it to swim or fly will drive a squirrel nuts. Eagles are beautiful creatures in the air but not in a foot race. The rabbit will win every time unless, of course, the eagles hungry.

What is true of creatures in the forest is true of us. God has not made us all the same. He never intended to. It was He who planned and designed the differences, unique capabilities, and variations in the body. God has given you a certain mixture that makes you unique. Nobody else is exactly like you… When you operate in the realm of capabilities, you will excel, the whole team will benefit, and you will experience incredible satisfaction.

If God made you a duck saint – you’re a duck, friend. Swim like mad but don’t get bend out of shape because you wobble when you run or flap instead of fly. Furthermore, if you’re an eagle saint, stop expecting squirrels saints to soar, or rabbit saints to build the same kind of nests you do.

Why not just be you? Why try to be somebody else? Stop comparing. Enjoy being you! There’s plenty of room in the forest.

Identify one thing/action you are involved in that is forcing you to be something you’re not: _____ If possible, remove yourself from that activity and see if you sense relief.

When you compare yourself with others, what do you generally find you don’t match up to? ____ Now evaluate whether that’s due to your trying to be something that simply is not you, or ever will be … and accept that.

Look at your friendships and determine if you’re pressuring anyone to conform to your standards or skills. If so, back off, let the person be himself, and do something to encourage him to be himself.

Source: Charles Swindoll