Like Water Off a Duck’s Back

We’ve all heard the phrase “like water off a duck’s back,” but where does it come from? I did a little research and found that the phrase was coined because of the natural tendencies of the duck. There are natural oils that are produced in the duck to coat the feathers, aiding in its buoyancy and keeping the duck insulated by not having the water soak into the feathers, therefore water just rolls off its back, thus the phrase.

As Christians, what can we learn from the duck? There are many references to oil in the bible, specifically that the oil has anointing capabilities. 1 Sam. 16:13 says, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.” If we could apply this scripture with what we’ve learned from the duck, maybe we’d be a more peaceful nation. If we were to anoint ourselves with oil, with full faith and understanding that the Spirit of the Lord is upon us, then we’d have a protective coating to shield us from whatever the enemy slings at us. We’d be more buoyant, able to stay afloat, even if we felt like we were drowning, and we’d be insulated from the cold, heartless and unkind words that are spoken about us.

God created the duck, knowing what the duck would need to survive. He created you too, knowing what you would need to survive as well. We don’t have to get hard-hearted or become a brick wall to protect ourselves from that which could take us down, we just need to get a little oily so stuff can’t stick to us…it just sli-i-i-i-ides off…like water off a duck’s back.