To Be A Butterfly

It’s a busy time of year, and I for one, seem unable to stay caught up.  There is always another thing that must be done and my timeline keeps growing smaller and smaller.  

As I contemplate all we attempt to accomplish in our little worlds, I realize there is something so much more important than I can ever accomplish.  All the accolades, for things I’ve accomplished, from friends, family and those who don’t know me, pale next to the Savior’s birth, and what He did through His death on the cross and resurrection.  Christmas and Easter are so tightly combined; it’s sometimes hard to know where one stops and the other starts.   The tiny baby that came so many years ago came with a purpose.  He was all God, yet all man.  He came to bring salvation to a dying world, which he accomplished with his death and resurrection that first Easter.

We are each given a purpose on earth.  That’s why we were born, to accomplish great things, even though they may seem small in our mere existence.  We were born to spread the gospel and further the Kingdom.  Isn’t that Christmas?  Aren’t we celebrating the birth of the Messiah who accomplished his purpose: providing the means of salvation by grace?  

I heard a story recently about two caterpillars and a butterfly.  The caterpillars saw the beautiful butterfly fly over them and one said to the other, “You’re not getting me up in that!”  Of course the caterpillar was completely confused considering he would one day be a beautiful butterfly!  Often, I believe we spend our lives afraid of what we might become if we step out on faith with our gifts much like the caterpillar!  We have the potential to live our life like the beautiful butterfly when we are in Christ.  But we cheat ourselves because we don’t make a commitment first to Christ with our life; and then even when we do, we tend to hold back and not utilize the talents and abilities we’ve been given.

There is much to be thankful for in each of our lives, even if we have no material things to show for it.  If we have the love of Jesus, then we have everything we need.  Our lives are but a whisper in the whole scheme of things.  The “glory” we receive here is nothing compared to the glory we will enjoy eternally if we know Jesus.  We are being prepared for something much greater.  Is your heart ready for His joy and glory?  Are you living life like the caterpillar, afraid and fearful or are you like the butterfly who chooses to be transformed in Christ, so you can soar?

As we near Christmas, I hope you will focus on the Christ Child, Immanuel, God with us, and recognize that if your life is committed to Him, you can, through faith, do great things with your gifts and experience life like never before!

1 Peter 1:24-25  For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,  but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.