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It's Okay to Be a Little Tacky

by Amanda Beattie

Just recently I stumbled across a book that I hadn't read in years. I thumbed through it and was struck by how profound it was. Even if you've read the story before, it's message is one we can all stand to hear again.

Not Exactly Classic Literature

The book I'm referring to is Tacky the Penguin, by Helen Lester. If you've never read it, I highly recommend you go to the library and check it out. It's a marvelous picture book that I absolutely loved when I was little.

The opening lines give us an immediate impression of our hero.

"There once lived a penguin. His home was a nice icy land that he shared with his companions. His companions were named Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect.

"His name was Tacky. Tacky was an odd bird."

Tacky, true to his name, is just a little "different." When his friends are quiet and reserved, Tacky is loud and friendly. He doesn't do lovely dives, like all the other penguins; he does cannonballs and splashes water everywhere. When the characters are pictured, five of them are in collars and bowties, while Tacky sports a Hawaiian shirt. He doesn't march in a straight line, and he sings loud, goofy songs -- quite unlike his companions.

More than once in the book, this phrase appears: "Tacky was an odd bird." Boy, can I relate! Perhaps you can, too. I know that I've felt like the odd bird in a group before... where I stick out a little more than I'd like, and don't fit in quite as well as I'd hope. During those times, I felt a bit "Tacky."

The Advantages of Being Tacky

In Tacky the Penguin, the birds' beautiful icy day was interrupted by hunters... hunters who, in their own words, came to "catch some pretty penguins." Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect promptly ran away to hide, fearing for their lives, and left Tacky standing alone. The hunters approached him to capture him and take him away.

But when Tacky heard that they were hunting for pretty penguins, he sprang into action by -- well, by being himself! The hunters, looking for birds that marched in straight lines and dove gracefully, were quite unsure what to do with Tacky. And as he broke into one of his loud, nonsense songs, his companions joined him in the loudest and most awful voices they could muster.

The hunters were certain that they had the wrong place. These were definitely not "pretty penguins." They ran off, leaving the penguins in peace. The book concludes, "Tacky was an odd bird but a very nice bird to have around."

Are You Tacky?

Most of us have been in a situation where we felt a bit out of place. Maybe you were among a group of quiet people and you felt just a little too outgoing and expressive. Or perhaps you were in a group full of loud, boisterous people and thought you were too timid and got left out of the loop. No matter who you are, you've probably been around some people who walked, talked, and acted differently than you. I've been there.

It can be tempting to join the "Goodly, Lovely" crowd -- to put on a show of being someone we're not. We march in a straight line when we really want to do somersaults. We do what our peers deem acceptable, when we're actually just itching to cut loose with a splashy cannonball.

But here's the beauty of it: the world needs "Tackies." God designed the diversity within us and wants us to use it. After all, what would have happened to those penguins if Tacky wasn't so tacky? Some situations simply call for a bit of tackiness; and God built it into us for just such a purpose.

It doesn't matter if you enjoy being proper and calm or would rather sing a rousing chorus of "How Many Toes Does a Fish Have?" (Tacky's favorite song). The important thing is that you be the person whom God created you to be. No fronts, no pretenses.

If you're the neat, bowtie-type person, wear it in joy. If you prefer the flowered Hawaiian shirt, put it on with confidence. Even if you feel a little tacky, that's okay, too! All of us flowing together, in our own unique "Tackiness", is what makes us the Body of Christ. It's good, it's God-ordained, and when it comes right down to it, I choose to be tacky.

All excerpts are from the book, Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester, (c)1988, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.

Life Applications:

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt just a little tacky (you stood out from everyone else in some way)?
Have you ever felt the need to conform to the crowd?
Think -- who has God created YOU to be?

Copyright 2003 by Amanda Beattie
All rights reserved.