THE POINT IS . . . Please Don't Be like Ringo the Duck

In November 1971, a duck who came to be called Ringo made the news in the city of Toronto, Canada. Ringo lived at Grenadier Park Lake, and one day, she accidentally poked her bill through the ring of a pull tab from an aluminum can. The duck was unable to eat and would soon starve to death. When some park visitors noticed her plight, she became something of a celebrity. Park personnel and animal experts tried numerous ways to catch Ringo so she could be helped. They tried to lure her with food, a scuba diver tried to sneak up on her underneath the water, they shot a net over the lake trying to ensnare her, and they even called in Canada’s champion duck caller — all to no avail.

The frightened duck mistook all the efforts to help her as being threats. The duck eventually disappeared, and no one ever saw her again. However, everyone knew that it was a certainty that she would not survive very long with a pull tab prohibiting her from eating.

In at least one way, man is like Ringo the Duck. Some people perceive Christians as judging or condemning when they share the message of Christ with them. In actuality, the believer is sincerely only trying to save the person’s life.

I have shared the gospel with many people all over the world over the last five decades. There are several reasons for this:

• God commanded me to share my faith in Christ (Matt. 28:18-20);

• Christ changed my life and is, in fact, the best thing that ever happened to me, and I want others to have what I have (II Cor. 5:17);

• God has given me a love for all people (John 13:35) and

• The Bible calls the message of Christ the “gospel” (I Cor. 15:1-3). The word gospel means good news. The gospel can only be good news if there is also some bad news. Some shy away from Christ because they have only heard the bad news and have not listened long enough to hear the good news.

There are many things in life that I don’t want to hear, but I really need to listen to them for my own benefit as well as the benefit of others. Many foods don’t taste good, but I know that, in the long run, they will be good for my health. I have done many things that were unpleasant at the time but were very beneficial once they were done.

So, when it comes to eternal things, don’t be like Ringo the Duck and perceive Christians as trying to hurt you by judging or condemning you. We are only trying to share a message of love and forgiveness. Once you have heard it, what you do with the message is entirely up to you. The gospel changed my life and can change yours, too.