Would You Rather Be A Bullfrog?

“Tell me!

Would you rather be a Dog…or be a Cat?

It’s time for you to think about important things like that.

Would you rather be a Bullfrog…or be a Butterfly?

Which one would you rather be?

Come on, now.

Tell me why?”

You may recognize these lines as the work of Theo. LeSieg.

Also known as Dr. Suess.

My brother-in-law often says, “I wish God had made me rich and not so dawggone good looking!”

Any place you go.

Anyone you meet.

You will find people who wish.

Who wish they had done this.

Or wish they had done that.

Last week, I was sitting across the table from a Director of an international company.

A company we would all know.

I peppered him with questions regarding his position with the company, his future, his success, international logistics and other topics.

Then I asked him, “What would you trade for all of that?  What would you want in exchange?”

His reply?

“That I would not have to be consumed, every single moment, of every single day, with the thought of increasing revenue for my company.”

Country artist Jake Owen has a song, “We All Want What We Ain’t Got.”

My favorite line from the song is, “All I want is what I had.”

All of us want what we do not have.

Or what we had at some point in the past.

Rarely are we satisfied.

Any of us, at some point, would cut a deal with God.

And would think little about it.

“God, if you will take seventy pounds off my body, you can take two years off the end of my life?”

“God, make me rich and I will give to the poor.”

Everyone’s deal would be different.

Have you ever wondered if Shaquille O’Neal likes being 7’2″ tall?

I asked him that one time, when Shaq was with the Lakers.

He thought for a moment and said, “It’s working for now.”

King Solomon wrestled with these type matters.

The pursuit of wealth and fame.

The indulgence of happiness and living for today.

He referred to all of life as, “chasing after the wind.”

Solomon also describes it this way.

“God has given to some men very great wealth and honor so that they can have everything they want, but he doesn’t give them the health to enjoy it, and they die and others get it all!”  Ecclesiastes 6:2  (TLB)

The Bible is full of, “Would you rather be…?” type of statements.

They often begin with, “Better to be…”

God has already made the choices for you.

We cannot be who we are not.

We can be who we are.

“Fearfully and wonderfully made.”, as it says in Psalm 139.

A bullfrog cannot decide to be a butterfly.

But he can be a beautiful bullfrog singing or croaking boldly on a warm southern night.

Be who you are and be confident in that.

God was pretty confident when he designed you just the way you are.

And that is…

…perfect.

“I have learned how to get along happily, whether I have much or little.”  Philippians 4:11

John