Think a minute…One of my favorite birds to watch is the beautiful white seagull. It looks so graceful and gentle floating on the soft sea breezes. But looks can be deceiving.

I was saddened and surprised to learn that these innocent-looking creatures are not at all peaceful and kind when it comes to getting along with each other.  

When they are in a flock with other seagulls, they become selfish, vicious competitors that never want to share with each other. A seagull will attack another gull that has a piece of food.

It will even go so far as to kill a fellow bird if it wants what the other one has. For example, if you tie a bright red ribbon around the leg of one seagull, making him stand out from the others, the other gulls will be so envious that they will repeatedly strike him with their sharp claws and beaks until he is dead.    

Now compare a seagull to a different kind of bird: the goose. Geese are also beautiful to watch. It is amazing how they fly together in a formation that looks like the letter V. Scientists have learned that a flock of geese actually travels up to 71 percent faster and easier by flying together in this V formation.

The bird leading in the front has the hardest job, so the other geese take turns leading every few minutes, which enables the flock to fly long distances without stopping to rest.

Scientists also believe that the constant honking of the geese is how the stronger birds encourage the weaker ones to keep going. What is more, if a goose becomes too tired or sick to keep flying, it is never left behind.

A healthy goose will follow the sick one down to the ground and wait with it until it is able to resume flying again. 

Have you ever wondered which kind of “bird” you are: a gull or a goose? Strong, happy people are not jealous, envious or threatened by others, because they have learned to accept and make the most of their own special abilities and personality.

Remember, there are no two people in this world exactly alike, so if you try to be someone else, who is going to be you? If you still have not fully found your place and purpose in life, today you can ask the One Who made you.

He is wanting to help you discover and develop into the person He designed you to be, so you can be completely content and at peace with who you are, and who others are.

Jesus will help you truly accept and appreciate other people for their own special strengths and abilities He gave them, so they also can find and fill their place in life. Just think a minute…