Once upon a time. . .
Once upon a time, there was a small, wooly, greenish worm who did nothing but crawl around every day through the dirt and debris of the ground, eating leaves of trees and nibbling plants with flowers. He really wasn’t much to look at. A caterpillar, by name, and crawling through the dirt was his game.
On a particular day, as Mr. Caterpillar was doing what he normally did every day, he happened upon a slimy, brown earthworm. Now the earthworm was doing what he normally did every day, also. On this day, as they stopped and took note of each other, the following conversation took place:
Mr. Caterpillar: “Do you ever get tired of just crawling around all the time?”
Mr. Worm: “Haven’t thought much about it. It’s all I’ve done all my life. Seems to be what I was made to do.”
Mr. Caterpillar: “Crawling is all I’ve ever done, too, but, you know, sometimes I think, there must be more that I could do.”
Mr. Worm: “Oh yeah? What might that be?”
Mr. Caterpillar: “Well, I’m not quite sure. For some strange reason, I believe I can fly.”
Mr. Worm: “Fly? Did you say fly? Now, that’s funny, that’s really funny. You can no more fly, than I can. You just need to accept that this is your life. You’ve crawled every day since you were born, and you’ll crawl every day until your life is over.”
Mr. Caterpillar: “Maybe, but I think I was created for more. I really believe I can fly. I think about it every night and day. Spread my wings and fly away.”
Mr. Worm: “Well, if you want my opinion, you may as well, use your energy to think about where you’re going to crawl today, and how to avoid someone stepping on you. Crawling is all you were born to do, so relax and enjoy your crawl.”
They parted ways, and within a few days the caterpillar climbed a tree and attached himself to a branch. Before he knew what was happening his world started spinning out of control. Within a short time, he found himself wrapped in a most unfamiliar, and uncomfortable place.
This was not at all, what he had imagined. In fact, this was extremely awkward and uncomfortable. This was a very tight squeeze, and now he certainly was not able to fly, he couldn’t even crawl.
Within a few days, he decided he must do something to get out of this most uncomfortable spot. He began to push, but seemingly nothing was happening. He pushed harder and harder and harder. The struggle was intense, but now something appeared to be happening.
Before long, that which had bound him was beginning to loosen. There was a crack, and now he began to see a bit of light. Little by little he pushed and poked and strained until finally, at last, he was free. With the wings that he now had, he did what he could never do before — he flew. And suddenly, the world, that he had known previously, was seen from a totally different perspective, as he soared high above the ground.
Before the butterfly can fly, he must crawl, then he must go through the cocoon, then a total conversion.
Life, as we know it, is filled with seasons, or stages. Some easier to handle, than others.
Are you enjoying life, or just enduring life? Are you walking through life with a day-to-day, humdrum routine. . .get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, etc? Routine! Routine! Routine!
Is this all there is? Perhaps you’re in a dull season, simply crawling through life, from one uneventful task to the next. Or maybe, you feel trapped in a position, or a place that is holding you like a cocoon. Do you have a sense that God has something greater for you to do?
Jesus said that He came to give life, but not just life — abundant life, or amazing life, awesome life, life to the max. John 10:10
For a caterpillar to become a butterfly, a complete transformation must take place. For each of us to become what God created us to be, may require a transformation, on our part.
Whatever season, or stage of life you may be in, don’t stop. Stay pliable in the process. Each season is simply preparing you for the next.
What the caterpillar called the end, the butterfly called the beginning.
Still Believing!
This is riveting!