Recently I had some fun with a little survey/quiz sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation. The participant was to select the best choice of three to six options on six questions. Following your response, you were provided immediate feedback as to which of several Iconic Winter Animals you have similar characteristics. How could an inquisitive woman ever turn down that challenge?
Quickly turning on my brain, I addressed the first question, ‘What do you usually do in the wintertime?’ My options included, participate in winter sports, birdwatch, explore nature, or take a nap. Now you, dear reader, probably think this eight-eight-year-old rocks herself into a nap every afternoon, but you would be wrong. I checked ‘participate in winter sports.’ Some may remember that last winter I actually made a little snow person all by myself. Doesn’t building that twelve-inch snowman count as a winter sport?
I finished the remaining choices and then — Bingo! My answer returned. Perhaps you anticipated that I had the characteristics of an Egyptian bovine or maybe a dromedary, but no, that would be incorrect. Based on the entire set of questions, I was like a caribou — an animal that is highly social. Right on. I certainly do not remain hidden in my apartment 24-7.
Glancing at the screen, however, the participant was invited to repeat the process, and maybe select one or two different answers, as some options were not exactly describing you, the inquisitive one. Again, I repeated the process, but this time I changed a couple of answers. Well, what do you know? Based on those selections, the caribou disappeared, and now I was similar to the personality and characteristics of a . . . northern cardinal.
My life changed. No longer a four-legged creature, but like a beautiful, female, yellowish brown, long-tailed songbird. In the winter they seek companionship and make loud chirps so they can be heard by other birds. Yep! Right on. Guess who also seeks companionship, and speaks with a rather loud, distinctive voice.
One great note about the northern cardinal was included. They often experience window collisions. Apparently, cardinals are prone to bashing into plate glass walls. That was discouraging, however, as now I need to worry about banging my head into glass, as I carry out my social life. Ugh! I guess, though, I can continue to chat with people, or maybe sing or chirp loudly.
After identifying my winter, nature partner, I thought about what that might mean in my real life. Not every animal is a social butterfly. If, however, that is a gift that God has given me, my responsibility must include attempting to reach out and help individuals, to teach, not however, probably singing, as with my voice, I would drive the class member to distraction. I must need to be aggressively letting my light shine.
Isn’t it wonderful, however, that the Lord made a wide variety of both wildlife and human personalities and habits? Some people will be silent, foxlike winter creatures. We need people who can quietly witness with their own lives. Reaching out to hurting individuals often requires a gentle spirit, someone who does not feel the need to fill every moment with conversation but has incredible listening ears.
Other times, the vocal leader, initiator of ideas, and encourager, is just the right person for motivating students bored with their class, or charging up friends on a long, church-bus outing through a desert. There is no perfect animal for all occasions in God’s world, just as there is absolute need for an enormous variety of people skills, talents, and personalities to take God’s message to the world around them.
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God’s handiwork, and created to do good works, which God figured out ahead of time for us to do. The scripture does not say all will do the same job. If that were the plan, we might have an entire congregation at the pulpit, attempting to preach the Sunday sermon, but no one in the pew listening and learning. We need both people comfortable greeting visitors, and others who love to remain in the kitchen, preparing delicious goodies for the annual church potluck. Yes, His kingdom needs athletes, builders, vocalists, and even farmers or skilled linguists to take the gospel around the world.
Maybe you would even enjoy checking out your own ‘fun’ assessment of skills and personality characteristics and join me in the journey to spread God’s Word to the world.
I’ll Watch for You as I Fly Around in My Cardinal Outfit.
Note: Take the quiz yourself. https://blog.nwf.org/2016/03/quiz-whats-yourwildlife-personality/
Kathryn Ransom 