The other night I dragged my hubby to the back yard to reveal my freshly spray-painted work of art. While standing in front of the garage door admiring the fact that I had actaully completed something somewhat crafty, we heard what sounded like several different types of birds singing in the distance.
My man (smart like he is and with an affinity for birds) informed me that it was a Mocking Bird. Just one bird. I was a bit baffled. How can one bird make such a variety of sounds? I honestly didn’t get it.
He then continued to explain that Mocking Birds don’t really have a voice of their own – they mimic what they hear instead. Thus the name, Mocking Birds.
Of course, my mind went to the many practical and spiritual parallels found in that one little natural fact. And since my previous post was about overcoming our fear of public speaking, I figured I’d use a couple messages sung from the Mocking Bird to speak to the lives of those called to speak.
So let’s learn what we can from Mrs. Mocking Bird:
1. Have your own voice. While it’s important to learn from others, it’s equally important to be yourself. I mentioned this the other day, but as those who are called to speak, we must speak with the voice God has given us – not just mimic others. As much as I love Beth Moore, I’m not her. I can’t sound like her, I can’t act like her and I can’t be her. I have to sing my own song, speak my own messages and use my own voice. I was given my own unique voice and I need to be busy honing it to be the best ‘me’ I can be.
Learn from others but don’t try to be who they are. Don’t try to be your version of someone else… just be the best version of you that you can be and let God use you like no one else.
2. Make His message yours. On the flip side of the whole Mocking Bird illustration is the fact that as speakers we are called to be a voice… Jesus is to be our message. Our goal is to do everything we can to be a voice that allows the Lord to speak from His heart to theirs. We have no voice but His. We have no words but His. He is the message we speak and the song we sing. Him. His message. Not our own.
So while on the one side of the Mocking Bird illustration we need to be careful NOT to be like our fowl feathered friend, on the flip side, we are.
Now, sweet speaking friends, we have two lessons we can learn from the Mocking Bird. So, what about you? Do try to make your own unique voice more like others? What do you do to assure that the message you speak is not your own?
Love this message Stephanie! Do you mind if I share it on my blog, giving full credit to you, sweet sister, of course! I love birds and love the comparison you have used here. ~ Hugs~ Kelly
Hi Kelly ~ Thanks for the sweet words and I'm honored for you to use this. My hubby is a big bird lover too, 🙂
Great post Stephanie! It certainly is tempting to imitate another speaker when we see their success or admire their style. But God has made each of us unique and we must be true to that uniqueness!
Thanks Sharla! I love to listen to other speakers and learn from them, but the key is to learn how to improve 'me' more and not try to 'become' them.