Metamorphosis

I recently watched a You Tube video showing the life cycle of a butterfly. It was fascinating. In fact, I had to watch it several times. It made me realize that humans are a lot like caterpillars. Think about it. Some are hard and wrinkly. Others are soft and cuddly. Some you’d like to hold close, while others you’d like to keep at a distance. I feel kinda sorry for caterpillars. They spend their days on their bellies, crawling through the dirt and filth of the earth.  The life of a caterpillar doesn’t sound very attractive, but then I’m reminded of what is in store for them. They are about to undergo an amazing transformation. A true metamorphosis.

A caterpillar will find a leaf or branch, attach herself and begin the process of shedding her skin. Literally. After shedding her skin, she will bide her time in her chrysalis, or cocoon if you like, waiting until the transformation is complete. When she emerges, she will be changed, from the inside out. To think that a butterfly began life as caterpillar is nearly unfathomable. The change is incredible.

And so it is with mankind. We spend our lives, crawling through the world of unbelief. We desire, we lust, we crave after the things of this world, hoping to satisfy our hunger. Like the caterpillar, we need to shed our skin. Like the caterpillar, we need to attach ourselves. We need to attach ourselves to a vine. The true vine. We need to shed our skin through repentance. And then as we bide our time in our chrysalis, we find belief. This belief is in Jesus, as our Savior and Lord. And when we emerge, we will be changed, from the inside out.

Once the transformation is complete, we no longer crawl on our bellies. We soar on wings. Oh, the joy and the freedom. We are no longer slaves to sin, but heirs to an eternal kingdom.

Colossians 3:1-17 (The Message)

3 ^1-2 So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

^3-4 Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.

^5-8 And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It’s because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn’t long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it’s all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk.

^9-11 Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.

^12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

^15-17 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

If you haven't changed your wardrobe, don't you think it's about time?