If you have ever been to the Dallas Zoo, one of the central attractions is the flamingos. They stand out and stand tall. You can’t help but notice them. They are unique in every way.
Did you know that flamingos only weigh 4-8 pounds and stand 4-5 feet tall? They can live to be 30-50 years old. They prefer to stand on one foot, even when sleeping. Their pink or orange color comes from carotenoids in their food, but underneath their wings their feathers are black.
Today, I want to encourage you to be like a flamingo. We can learn a few things from this beautiful creation.
The flamingo is hunted by predators who seek to catch them off guard or unaware in order to destroy them. They are sought by humans, dogs, crocodiles, even cheetahs, gorillas and lions in some parts of the world.
First, as we all know, Satan is our predator. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. I Peter 5:8
Satan hates us. He comes to seek, kill and destroy. He will do whatever it takes to ruin our life. He will come when we let our guard down or if we don’t stay alert. He would have us doubt our worth, feel unloved, dig a hole and not come out. In other words, he would have us live completely defeated.
Secondly, the flamingo maximizes their food intake. Flamingos feed on aquatic plants, algae, among other things, but at the zoo they get a special diet of carotenoids to preserve their rosy color. They dig deep into the waters to find food and they get the good stuff by diligently seeking and digging to get the nutrition they need.
Jesus said, “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” Matthew 4:4. We need to be like the flamingo and dig deep into the Word to find the hidden nutrition that God has given us. His Word is full of nuggets for us. His Word will give us instructions on daily life. It’s not enough to read, but we need to feast on it.
Thirdly, the flamingo stands upright and tall. You can notice them from afar because they are unique, beautiful and will stand out in the crowd.
As Christians, we are called to be different than the unbeliever. We need to stand tall and be noticed, not for our own sake, but for Christ’s. We need to live a life of purpose that is God honoring.
Lastly, flamingos also live in colonies. When they are gathered together, they are less likely to become prey to their predators. They are safer.
As Christians, it is so important to fellowship with other Christians. We find our strength and encouragement with other believers. It gives you more strength knowing you aren’t alone when the enemy comes. This is one reason church is so important to our Christian Walk.
So, in conclusion, your predator would have you live a life full of defeat, discouragement, discontentment, bitterness, anger and jealousy. He will use any means he can to keep you from being all that God wants you to be.
Living in the Word will give you the power to overcome. It will stretch you and grow you to become the person God intends for you to be. He has a plan and a purpose. Dig down deep to find the feast that is instore for you. Feasting on the Word turns defeat to victory, discouragement to joy and discontentment to satisfaction.
Today, I want to encourage you to be like the flamingo. Stand tall!
Fun fact: This picture was taken recently at the Dallas Zoo.