Butterfly Potential

I walked past the little shrub at the corner of Hype Park Boulevard and Greenwood Street like I did every day for the past couple of weeks. But there was something different about the little shrub today that made me stop and gaze. Butterflies. Various combinations of orange, white, brown, yellow, purple, blue, and black meet to form amazing patterns. They were beautiful. Each took turns fluttering gracefully above the plant then gently perched on it to rest momentarily.
As I walked down the street I thought, isn’t our creator a creative genius! He designs nature’s masterpieces from scratch without a blueprint. With no degree in fine arts, He managed to compose the greatest color schemes in existence. The results of His handiwork are impeccable creations. “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16)
As my mind wondered back to the butterflies, I’m reminded of their journey to their current state of pulchritude. We stand in awe of how lovely they are. However, these creatures weren’t always so graceful. They started out locked away in the darkness of their cocoon; wasn’t much to look at really. They then crawled around on their bellies before they were able to blossom into beauty and take off flying.
God has a habit of finding us at our most unappealing, unattractive state…and nurses us to our full potential. He seeks us when we’re most unlovable…and loves us. He reaches down in our darkness…and sees us for who we’re capable of becoming. Slowly, with time as His guide, He transforms us from our sinful state of hopelessness into marvelous creatures of light. He took our tattered stained past and replaced it with a bright future filled with love and forgiveness. “To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.” (Isaiah 61:3) We are all caterpillars with butterfly potentials.