WW goes Duck Hunting

The story is told of five doctors that went duck shooting one day. Included in the group were a general practitioner, a pediatrician, a psychiatrist, a surgeon and a pathologist. After a time, a bird came flying overhead. The first to react was the GP who raised his shotgun, but then hesitated. "I'm not quite sure it's a duck," he said. "I think that I will have to get a second opinion." And of course by that time, the bird was long gone.

Another bird appeared in the sky thereafter. This time the pediatrician drew a bead on it. He too, however, was unsure if it was really a duck in his sights and besides, it might have babies. "I'll have to do some more investigations," he muttered, as the creature made good its escape.

Next to spy a bird flying was the sharp-eyed psychiatrist. Shotgun shouldered, he was more certain of his intended prey's identity. "Now, I know it's a duck, but does it know it's a duck?" The fortunate bird disappeared while the fellow wrestled with this dilemma.

Finally, a fourth fowl sped past and this time the surgeon's weapon pointed skywards. BOOM!! The surgeon lowered his smoking gun and turned nonchalantly to the pathologist beside him: "Go see if that was a duck, will you?"

We've all been guilty at times of shooting first and asking questions later. Sometimes we overhear a portion of a conversation and draw our own conclusion. Other times we fail in our responsibilities when we allow caution to breed procrastination. We are called to be helpers one of another. Part of that helping is holding one another accountable. When it is necessary to question, defend, correct, or instruct we must not be silent.

Just as the first 3 doctors were careful with their guns, we must keep a watch on our tongues. Even when speaking the truth, we must choose the best mode of delivery. We must evaluate the situation and weigh it with of the Word of God. Another important factor is letting the Holy Spirit guide us in the how and when . Above all, we must have pure motives and a clean heart.



James 1:19 and 26 are bracket scriptures of today's text. "Read 'em and weep" if you need to weep. Read and be thankful if you have been delivered from being religious. 19) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 26) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

P.S. I read, wept, and was thankful that I could still read and weep.