Caterpillar Conundrum

In my early childhood I had the privilege of collecting Monarch caterpillars, housing and caring for them, and then watching the transform into beautiful butterflies, and then releasing them. This was always so fascinating to me and the miracle of transformation blew and still blows my mind. But I learned something recently that added even more awe-inspiring reflection upon this divine feat. A caterpillar, in its DNA, is NO DIFFERENT than a butterfly. In fact if you were to compare the strands of a butterfly and a caterpillar they would be identical. I know your mind is blown as well. :)

The thing that is so fascinating is that a caterpillar is already a butterfly in every way except for how it functions in and engages its world. The only thing left to do for a caterpillar is to be transformed so the physical evidence is seen.

Jacob in Genesis 32 gets a new name, Israel. From birth, he was already Israel but he did not function as such in the world. He was deceitful, arrogant, and self-full. God saw Jacob as Israel from the beginning, being the one who would carry out the promise to Abraham.

This means that God sees us for the butterfly we can be, that he created us to be even though we are a chubby little insignificant worm. Unlike the Monarch, however, who goes through this process somewhat mindlessly and automatically, we must choose Jesus...everyday. Our transformation happens because we allow God freedom to change us. We get out of the way, dying to ourselves, and trust Him with our lives.

Do you know you are worth more than what people say about you or what your current state of existing is?
Have you begun the transformation process or are you still living a spiritually slow and low life?
Have you started the process but things are holding you up and you are stunted from growing?

Why crawl through life when you could be flying?