Fear of following even a trusted leader into uncharted territory is universal among animals, even ducklings. A video on the internet showed a mother duck and her large clutch of unfledged ducklings. The mother duck waddled to the middle of an arched bridge and jumped into a pond. She quacked for her ducklings. Nothing happened. She called again and one brave duckling jumped off with his tiny, unfeathered wings barely able to slow his fall. He landed with a plop and swam to his mother. Soon the other ducklings plunged off in twos and threes until only the most timid duckling was left on the bridge. It ran from one end of the bridge to the other without finding a place to jump. The mother kept calling until the duckling jumped.
Following Jesus is no easy matter, either, even if calling oneself a “Christ Follower” is becoming the new way to say, “I’m a Christian.” Fear of the unknown can be very real and even paralyzing when we start giving up control of our lives to simply follow where Jesus leads. However, this kind of deliberately giving up control is necessary to find the peace and comfort God promises us. Exactly what does it look like to follow this way? I’d like to propose that it can look like many different things.
All the ducklings obeyed in different ways. Obedience means trusting the Lord and doing what He says even when it looks like you’re jumping into a void. If you know you’re in God’s will, it means staying the course even when everything goes wrong and the results look disastrous. We’re born with different levels of boldness, but if we’re following Jesus, God expects us to step out on faith when He calls.
To obey is better than sacrifice. 1 Samuel 15:22
What kind of “duckling” are you? Are you one of the brave few who step off the bridge at the Holy Spirit’s first call, the majority who need a partner for courage even after the step is proven safe, or the recalcitrant one who only steps off when all other avenues have been exhausted? Resolve today to have a daring faith when the Lord calls you to leave your comfort zone. Follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2:21b
Kay Whatley, Author 
Enjoyed the article, would make a great devotional!
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Thanks, Betty. I’m glad you liked it. It is sorta meant to be a devotion. If I’m going to do this, I’d like for it to help someone else!
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I would like to be the duckling that immediately jumps into the water to follow, but I am often the one that walks back-and-forth thinking and analyzing and being afraid before I finally jump. I want to grow to become that follower of Christ that trusts and follows the Holy Spirit’s leading immediately with child-like faith.
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I want to be the first duckling, too, but all too often I wait for the middle and some moral support before I’m willing to “jump.” I have also been the last one at times, too!
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