Chicken — or eagle?

(J.R. Miller, "Things That Endure")

A man had an eagle which had grown up among the barnyard hens. For a time the bird seemed content to be only a chicken. But one day it looked up into the sky, and something within the eagle, sleeping until now, awoke. Flapping its wings, it soared away toward the sun and never returned.

Just so, too many Christians, meant for the eagle-life — content themselves with a barnyard existence. Now and then they feel something stirring within them — but they are too indolent to make the effort necessary to take their place in the upper air and among the mountain crags. So they spend all their days down in the dust, among earthly things, never waking up to their God-given potentials.

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ — set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above — not on earthly things!" Colossians 3:1-2