This is what I was made for
By
Elaine J. Roark

This year in early spring six Canadian goslings were hatched on our pond. It was a thrill to watch them grow and learn. They were not very beautiful or graceful at first, but we knew what they would become. We did not realize how much care and training was involved in growing from goslings to geese.

While the goslings’ wings were still only down-covered stubs the parents would push them into situations where they had to use their boney little wing stubs to keep their balance going down the steep embankment into the pond, and hopping and flapping up the steep muddy embankment to get out of the pond. In spite of their awkward anatomy at the time, they became quite agile at performing these feats of balance.

Swimming was another matter. From the start they were graceful swimmers, following in a straight line close behind their parent. One parent led the way. The other followed behind the last gosling, making sure that not one strayed or lagged behind. It resembled a well-trained military procession, but much more beautiful, happy, and graceful.

On land they waddled behind their parent in the same straight line procession, breaking formation only to feed, or rest and sleep in clusters near their watchful parents. When on the march, the parents would walk faster and faster forcing the little ones to use their wing stubs for balance.As their stiff wing feathers began to grow, the little ones soon learned that they could use their wings not only for balance but for lift, allowing them to glide for short distances, giving them more speed and maybe a modicum of grace as they struggled to keep up with their parents.

If they lagged behind, the father would honk and charge at their feet from behind forcing them to flap their tiny wings to keep up and increase speed.As their wing feathers grew longer and the wings grew stronger there was a great deal more deliberate gliding for greater and greater distances. Then the gliding became directional. They learned to tilt their wings from a high glide to lower their bodies to a graceful landing on the water.

Each day brought more skill and grace.This continued until they were following their parents in low flights, learning to make water landings and ground landings. The flights were becoming longer but not more than eight to ten feet above the clearing.We were watching these low flights closely, knowing that any day now, they would be soaring above the trees.

Then one day it happened. With a great deal of honking and noisy chatter they rose high above the trees with grace and glee. As I watch them I thought what wonder they must feel as they looked down from such heights. The feeling would be, “Wow! Look at me! This is what I was made for!”

It is similar to the thrill of the young Christian who first experiences a positive response to his witness of the love and grace of Jesus and helps to introduce that friend to Christ.
Or, the person who obediently follows his heart and finds that the Lord is using all of his natural abilities and interests, all of who he is. With what joy he realizes, This is what I was made for!
When we arrive with all the redeemed before our Maker and Redeemer, will we not in awe and wonder whisper, “This is what I was made for!”