Dr. French O’Shields The redheaded woodpecker flying overhead caught my attention. With great interest I watched as it lit on the side of a hard creosote power pole along the road.

Throwing its head back with great confidence, it fiercely attacked the pole in true woodpecker fashion. Rather than the usual rat-a-tat sound of a woodpecker hard at work, the sound resembled pebbles dropping rapidly on a marble slab.

Each mighty jab of its bill on the hard post shook its entire body, rattled its brains, dulled its beak, and transmitted flashes of pain.

For several minutes the woodpecker hung motionless onto the side of the pole in shock. Then, as if it really didn’t believe what had happened, it reared back and attacked the pole again. Stunned from another traumatic experience, it again appeared motionless. Then, as if convinced God never designed it to peck on a creosoted power pole, it flew away.

Ironically, less than 50 feet away was a nice tall dead pine tree full of bugs and insects on which God had designed and created it to peck.

I quickly realized why God allowed this woodpecker scene to catch my attention. It contained a lesson God knew I needed.

What painful brain-rattling traumas some of us Christians experience because of the things we try to do that God never designed us to do. All of us need the challenge of the difficult to enable us to reach our potential. None of us needs, however, the devastating results of attempting to do what God never designed or created us to do.

Even with Phillipians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” tucked away in our memory or on a card in our pocket, you best not cast yourself off a building expecting to fly like a bird. God didn’t design or create you for that.

The truth applies to the spiritual also. Some Christians take it upon themselves to convict another Christian of their sins. God assigned this responsibility to the Holy Spirit. At times one Christian may attempt to be judge, savior, and/or lord of another. God sent and commissioned only Jesus to do this!

Though stunned from the pain our misguided attempts inflict on ourself and others, we seemingly remain unconvinced and go charging into another effort God never commissioned.

Ironically all around us are untried and uncompleted tasks which God has called us to fulfill through His strength and the power of His Holy Spirit. No task should ever be undertaken unless we have prayerfully determined it is His will. Only then will it have positive results.

Now I think I know why the woodpecker’s head is so red. But I still am puzzled why so many of us Christians keep bloodying our heads from attacking brick walls when God has doors designed just for each of us.

(Dr. French O’Shields is a Gaffney native and a retired Presbyterian minister.)