Lessons From a Butterfly

Much to the delight of my 6-year-old son, we recently had the opportunity to have our very own caterpillar in a jar. A friend had messaged me one morning with the good news that she had found dozens of them just outside her home. It only took one mention to my son, and he was busy preparing a home for the caterpillar, gathering all kinds of outdoor matter and shoving it into a mason jar. Then he eagerly (incessantly) asked for the rest of the day: when can we get my caterpillar?! On and on he asked until the time came.

Honestly, I delighted in this too. It was fun to see my child's eagerness. And it was fun to imagine what the butterfly would look like and when it would make its appearance. Of course, we had to read about butterflies during this time too. We skipped ahead in our homeschool curriculum to "B is for Butterfly: God can make me new." Learning how, just like a caterpillar changes into a beautiful butterfly, we also can change into a "new creation" once we know Jesus.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come." 2 Cor 5:17

One thing we read about the caterpillar struck me the most: When inside its cocoon, all its parts are rearranged. It becomes somewhat like a "caterpillar soup". If you were to cut it open, liquid would ooze out. What an amazing and strange process when you really think about it: how a worm could turn into some bug soup and emerge a colorful, flittering, flying butterfly.

I was reminded of a bible verse in Psalms (22:6) where David is crying out to God, considering his sovereignty. By contrast, he says "But I am merely a worm...". He compares himself as nothing beside God. Merely a worm. But God can take even a worm and transform it into something beautiful. For the caterpillar, that's a messy process. For us human "worms", it can be both messy and painful too.

I wonder if the caterpillar has any thoughts, if he thinks anything as he's cocooning himself, as he's transforming. If he did, I would think that he might at first say the change is cozy and comfortable. He's got his own warm protective blanket wrapped around him. But then, slowly, he starts to fall apart, every body part gets mixed up, everything "falls apart" until he's nothing but goo for awhile. Maybe then he might think: this is painful, I want out, this isn't what I thought it was going to be like.

There have been times in my life where I felt like I was turned into "caterpillar soup." In those moments, I didn't necessarily focus on the "new creation" God was making me into, but rather the pain of it all.

But honestly, I can look back at those moments now and see how God was with me all through it. Even in the moments when I screamed and cried out to God in anguish, asking where he was in this pain because He felt so very far away. If He was close, then why wasn't he answering? Why was I suffering? Why was everything falling apart?

Just like David in Psalm 22:

My God, my God, why have you deserted me?

Why are you so far away?

Won't you listen to my groans and come to my rescue?

I cry out day and night, but you don't answer, and I can never rest."

Those moments will come in life. But they will go. We don't live in the pain of a trial forever. Even though at times it may drag on for years. If we're a Christian, at some point we'll have our "caterpillar soup" moments, the times of transformation that don't feel like transformation, they just feel painful.

But once the transformation process is complete, this part is key: we must realize when we've grown wings and it's time to fly.

Back to our little caterpillar friend: she made her little cozy chrysalis soon after we put her in the new mason jar home. It wasn't long, not even 2 weeks, and we checked on her the morning that we wrapped up our butterfly lessons. And there she was. My son was thrilled! She was a beautiful black swallowtail: deep black wings with bright white dots, a beautiful bright blue on the bottom of her wings. She was absolutely gorgeous.

When her wings had fully dried and opened, we brought her outside and slowly removed the lid. She tried to climb out, but the glass jar was too slick, she kept sliding down and couldn't get out on her own.

As I keep thinking about

this, I wonder: if our own transformation process has been extra long or extra painful, can we get stuck in it - even if God has now made us into a new creation? He says that "we're seated with Christ in heavenly places" and we can live in this kind of elevated life, above the troubles of this world. That He gives us a "peace beyond understanding" and when trials come, we can still experience that peace. It can be like we're soaring above them (Isaiah 40:31).

But what if we don't realize we've "grown wings"?

What if we stay stuck in the old ways of thinking?

What would happen to that butterfly if she couldn't get out of the jar?

That's what could happen to us too. We live a life, not up to our full potential, not ever experiencing what it's like to soar to

new heights, to see things from an elevated point of view.

Are you a butterfly stuck in a jar? Has God made you into a new creation, but you're stuck inside the old ways of thinking?

God is calling his children to so

mething better. Not just a life of "Christianity" where we casually read our bible and habitually attend church. But a life as a new creation. A life where we, mere humans - simple "worms"- are transformed by the Holy Spirit in us. A life where He will take us on unimaginable journeys.

The question is: are you ready to fly?