Butterflies

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about butterflies lately.  One reason is that we are decorating Anna Beth’s nursery in that theme.  The other reason is that we had five real butterflies living in our house up until recent days. 

Emma received a butterfly growing kit for Christmas.  Last month we ordered our caterpillars.  The box arrived with lots of instructions and a little jar, full of some really yucky substance and creepy-crawling with these hairy caterpillars.  (Jason was even freaked out by them.)  In about a week’s time, we had chrysalises on the lid of the jar.  In about another week’s time, we had these scrawny, nearly-colorless, weak-winged, so-called butterflies flitting around our mesh butterfly cage.  In about an hour after they’d hatched from their cocoons, these ugly insects had suddenly become spectacularly-hued, majestic, graceful flying creatures.  It was amazing to see the transformation!  

Since the lifespan of a butterfly is only a short three weeks, we decided to release them after only a couple of days of appreciating their beauty.  To watch them fly away was truly breathtaking.

I couldn’t help but make some comparisons between my walk as a Christian and the metamorphosis of the lowly caterpillar into the lovely butterfly.  Before I became a Christian, I had not reached my full potential that God planned for me.  As I learned more about Jesus, my life began to change and take on a more specific direction.  After I gave my heart to Jesus, a definite metamorphosis began to occur in me.  I learned to experience the beauty and freedom of a life that comes from following God’s plan for me.  God gave me freedom when I accepted His Son as my Savior, but He continues to nurture me and facilitate more growth and change in me every day through the Holy Spirit.  

As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  I know that I’m not as graceful or as beautiful as I will be in Heaven, but I’m going to do my best with the short time I have here on Earth to glorify Him.