I love the beautiful orange and black monarch butterflies! Sadly, they are now close to extinction in North America, most likely because they feed on milkweed plants which are now also hard to find, but when I taught third grade years ago, this was my first science lesson, and one of my favorites.
I would drive on country roads looking for milkweed plants and was usually able to find at least two or three black, white and yellow caterpillars feeding on the underside of the tender milkweed leaves. They’d be any size from so teeny to the nearly mature size of almost two inches. I’d gather some leaves to keep fresh in a jar to satisfy the voracious appetite of the caterpillars which ate nearly non-stop for a day or two. Then a caterpillar would stop eating and crawl to the lid of the jar, or to a stick inside and attach himself to it. (One year a caterpillar escaped from the jar and this attachment happened on the side of my classroom filing cabinet!) Once attached, the caterpillar drops down into the shape of a “J”. A few hours later, the mysterious transformation from crawling creature to beautiful butterfly will progress. Through tremendous struggle – twisting, turning and swinging until you wonder if the tiny attachment can hold firm – the caterpillar splits its skin and forms a lovely pale green chrysalis, a tiny bag with gold dots, perfect in detail. Only a small discarded heap remains of the caterpillar’s old skin. Then the waiting and growth begins to take place. Through a process that only God knows, a marvelous change happens. In about ten days, the faint outline of the black and orange wings can be seen through the chrysalis. Soon after, the chrysalis breaks open and a butterfly emerges! It hangs still on the empty chrysalis for a time, drying its wings, and then spreads them apart ready to fly. Sometimes the new butterfly would step onto my finger before flying away!
How can all this be? How can such a transformation be possible – a change from lowly caterpillar to beautiful butterfly? How marvelous are the ways of our God! In His infinite wisdom, He is able to do all things and in His omnipotence, He is able to transform even His children into so much more! As men and women living without God, we resemble the caterpillar. Satisfying our own human desires, seeking after the things of this world, we only appear to be lovely. Our existence on this earth is but a “moment” in time, and if the Lord is not part of our life on earth, He cannot be part of our life in Heaven. “Then He will say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matthew 25:41).
But – if we allow God’s Spirit to convict us of our sinful ways, (John 16:8), if we walk in the light as He is in the light (I John 1:7), and if we seek to obey the Lord (Jeremiah 7:23), then our struggles begin to work out God’s perfect will in our lives. We begin the process of change from something less than lovely to something beautiful and wonderfully made. Living for the Lord is not easy, and God did not promise that it would be. He did promise to be with us though (Matthew 28:20). He sent His Son, Jesus, as an example for us to follow. He made it possible through Jesus for us to have access to life eternal. God loves us so much that He is now preparing a place for us. One day, (and I believe it will be soon!) Jesus will return to take the faithful ones with Him to that place (John 14:3). When we claim God as our Father and Jesus as our Savior through confession, repentance and baptism, we begin a new life (Romans 6:4). We become “new creatures” (II Corinthians 5:17) transformed into His likeness. Praise God!
Change is difficult for most of us. We like the security of familiar routine and surroundings. Often it seems our activities are so programmed that we have no time for anything that is unexpected, but we dare not be guilty of thinking we cannot change. Through complete submission to the will of God, His Spirit can work a marvelous change in our life. Even weak-willed, short-tempered, insecure, or self-centered lives can be turned over to the Lord and be made productive, satisfied workers for the kingdom.
I challenge you to give to God anything in your life that is not in complete accordance with His will. Allow Him to use you and work through you. Give God the chance to remake you and then walk in restored fellowship with Him (I John 1:9). Feel the joy found in changed life. Let others see it, know of its source, and be blessed. Be an encouragement to those around you!
Become a butterfly! “And do not be conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).
