As an artistic child, I was always fascinated with butterflies. I enjoyed how they fluttered around the yard and brought splashes of color and beauty to an otherwise dusty and drab city landscape. I was equally moved when I learned that those beautiful creatures developed from a less-than-striking caterpillar. The DNA that made those creepy, crawly, sometimes furry worm-like creatures was the identical DNA that produced those intensely beautiful butterflies I admired. How could something so beautiful exist entirely within something so… well… not beautiful?
The caterpillar paints a lovely picture of the Christian faith and a somewhat realistic view of how two dynamically opposed things (beauty and the lack thereof) can exist simultaneously. Paul discusses this reality several times throughout his epistles. In Romans 7:4, Paul mentions that we stand unified with Jesus, who is raised from the dead (NLT). But he also reveals his present reality of inevitably doing what is wrong when he desires to do right; the consequence of his sinful nature (Romans 7:24). He expresses this unity of realities in the book of Colossians as well. In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul describes a sense of completeness that exists now in our union with Christ, and in Colossians 3:3 indicates that our real life is hidden with Christ in God. These ideas are our present, right now, realities. Today, at this very moment, we are unified and complete in Jesus. Because of our faith in Christ, the DNA of Christ himself (all the fullness of God) dwells within us, and we are free from the power of sin (Romans 8:2). We stand entirely right with God but are also working out our salvation by embracing our weakness and choosing to let the Holy Spirit lead our thoughts and actions (Romans 8:4, NLT). We are complete in Christ, yet Paul calls us to continually put on our new nature and become (a reality not yet realized) more like Jesus (Colossians 3:10).
Jesus depicts this same reality in the book of John. In John 15:5, Jesus describes his followers as fruit-bearing branches, fully grafted into himself as the vine. But he prefaces this reality by first introducing the gardener, his Father, who prunes fruit-bearing branches so they may produce more fruit (John 15:1-2). There is existing within this reality of being fully attached to the life-giving vine, subtleties of our nature that prohibit us from being as productive as the vine itself. There is a present reality of fruit in our lives and a not yet realized potential of abundantly more fruit.
The caterpillar is NOW as much a butterfly as the one already metamorphosed with sprouted wings. Likewise, we sinful and broken beings are fully saved, set apart, and filled with the fullness of God. As the caterpillar allows the fullness of what God has put within it to work internally and cause him to become a butterfly, we also must accept the realities of what is (who we are in Christ) and what is to be (becoming more like him). We realize the unity of these two truths as we submit ourselves fully to the work of the Holy Spirit within us. The Lord has released us from the power of our sinful nature (which still exists), and as we choose to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit and submit our thoughts and actions to him, we become more like the beautiful reality hidden in Him (Romans 8:4-10; Col. 3:3). Let’s respond with a simple and consistent yes to the constant prompting of the Holy Spirit’s voice. We can embrace that we are both sinful individuals yet have everything we need for life and godliness in Christ. Let us choose together to walk wholeheartedly toward who we are becoming in Him.
About the Author
Mike enjoys spending time with his wife and four kids. He loves Jesus, art, music, and poetry. He currently works as the Manager of Learning Technology Solutions for Los Angeles Pacific University and is passionate about adventuring outdoors.