Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing and perfect will of God. Romans 5:2 HCSB
If I told you, you could be a caterpillar or be a butterfly, which would you choose?
Think about the transformation of the butterfly. It begins its life as a caterpillar that crawls along on its belly. Then it spends time in a cocoon. It then emerges as a beautiful creature that flies around and beautifies our world. Before it flies and beautifies it must go through this transformation.
It’s a lot like that with us. Many of us want to fly but want to skip over the whole transformation part. We are still crawling around on our bellies and can’t figure out why we can’t get off the ground. Crawling on the ground is like being conformed to this age. It’s like going along to get along or doing what those around us do. We don’t want to change our ways because we are like our friends. We want to keep our friends. So, we hold on to things God tells us to let go of like bitterness, anger and wrath. These things are like cinder blocks tied around us to weigh us down and keep us low to the ground, but we refuse to let them go. We may even try to impress our friends by holding onto a grudge. If this impresses your friends, you need new friends. You need friends that will help you to let it go. You need friends that will encourage you to transform and fly.
As human beings we all start out like the caterpillar. We all start in a lowly position but then we seek ways to lift ourselves up. This is where the trouble comes in. We want to appear strong before those around us. We want to appear to be in charge. We try to lift ourselves up. But the Bible tells us that if we remain humble God will exalt us at the proper time (1 Peter 5:6). Just as God brings the caterpillar through the transformation to the butterfly, He will do the same for us. He will bring us from crawling around on the ground to flying high.
But (there’s always a but isn’t there?) we must trust in Him. We must humble ourselves and turn our lives over to Him. We must let go of our sinful ways and allow the transformation. Unlike the caterpillar, we have free will. He will only change us if we are willing to change.
Just as the butterfly becomes a beautiful creature through this transformation, we too become beautiful new creatures. We become creatures whose minds are renewed through this transformation. Once He transforms us, God will give us wisdom to discern the good, pleasing and perfect will of God. God’s will for our lives is always what is best. We may not understand it at the time, but God knows what is best for our lives because He knows what our future holds.
From the time the caterpillar is born it spends about 45 days in this stage and then becomes a pupa where it remains in its cocoon or its protective covering and does not move. The caterpillar is completely dissolved by enzymes. The old self is totally gone. Then the butterfly develops and in about 15 days it breaks free from the cocoon as a beautiful new creature.
The transformation for humans often takes much longer because we resist this transformation. I had to be still and know that He was God (Psalm 46:10) so He could do His work in me. We must submit to transformation.
Most importantly, my heart had to change. My heart had to learn to love my enemies and pray for those who prosecute me. My heart had to soften to those who weren’t like me. I had to learn to live as this new transformed creature. Sometimes I still struggle with flying because sin tries to weigh me down. This is why I pray so often.
I pray that you are willing to be transformed. I pray you do not choose to stay a caterpillar your whole life. This world will crush you if you are not in Christ. Trust in Him today. Allow Him to transform you into a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Don’t be afraid of change. We are all born as sinners, but we have the opportunity to transform into forgiven Christians.
You must choose if you want to be a caterpillar or a butterfly. I pray that you choose wisely.
Have a great weekend!