Butterflies and little girls; is there anything more cliché; yet for my daughter there has always been a fascination and love for these beautiful insects. She will be eighteen soon yet butterflies are still her favorite adornment and the central theme of her bedroom décor; but not because they are beautiful, graceful ornaments in the summer day scape. If you asked her why she is so fascinated with this insect she would very succinctly convey the powerful lesson a butterfly teaches us about our Christian transformation. She would tell you that a worm can metamorphous into a new creature. And what is man, but a worm?
“Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places. Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise? How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?” (Job 25:1-6)
A butterfly may not be mentioned specifically in scripture, but a few other insects made it into the word, and all bear the mark of the creator; they are all little lessons waiting to be read.
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise." (Proverbs 6:6)
"There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces." (Proverbs 30:24-25)
As for the lesson of the butterfly, I remember learning about how the caterpillar wraps it self up into a cocoon and emerges a butterfly. But I read an article recently that delved much deeper into the lesson than my elementary school science teachers ever did. The title of the article is "Consider the Butterfly" written by Jerry Helan. He reminded me that all creation bears witness to God. There isn't anything in the natural world that doesn't illustrate some spiritual truth and point us back to our creator.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." (Psalms 19:1)
"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:18-20)
So, consider the butterfly. Its life begins as a lowly caterpillar, a worm with a ferocious appetite. This little creature, no longer than an inch, can decimate entire gardens. Its appetite knows no bounds and it is a pest by all estimations. Infact, as a caterpillar, it has no redeeming qualities of any kind, yet it is a miracle of creation. Within the body of this worm is a substance called "anlagen" which hold the DNA for an entirely different creature, the butterfly. During the entire life span of this little foliage eating monster a new creature is waiting to emerge with the death of the old. During the cocoon stage of this creatures life, the one dies and a new one emerges. It's not as we were once taught, a long sleep while the body changes. Infact, the caterpillar dies and is reborn a butterfly. Yes its body is transformed, but only with the death of the old.
This new creature is completely alien to its beginning form on the earth in appearance, life style and purpose. It is no longer earth bound but can fly. It is no longer an ugly, slow moving, creeping worm but a gorgeous kaleidoscope of winged majesty. It is no longer destructive, engorging itself to the fullest. But it feeds off the nectar of flowers and is a key component in the pollination of many plants and flowers crucial to our balanced eco-system. The destructive, selfish old creature is now a vibrant, critical addition to nature.
The spiritual application: we are the worm that can be transformed into the butterfly.
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:1-2)
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
For man, the lowly worm that we are, our anlagen is God's Holy Spirit. It is what gave us first life; God's very breath that made a lump of clay rise up a man. If it were to be withdrawn all of life would perish.
"If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust." (Job 34:14-15)
The anlagen are already in each of us, it's in the entire world, and it’s what gives us life. One day, if we are called, if God opens our ears and extends an invitation and we accept and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; those anlagen are now activated in our flesh. It kills the old man until one day a new creature is born. Not bound by earthly chains, no longer a slave to gluttonous flesh, not destructive and self serving. A new creature, heavenly minded, assigned a specific task to pollinate and propagate new life. A beauty to behold, reflecting the very image of Christ; from glory to glory.
So consider the butterfly and know that a life can be made new by the power of the Holy Spirit. A lowly worm can metamorphous into a creature of great worth and beauty.
God Bless
Amy Charissa Warren
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