ON BUTTERFLIES

I recently saw this picture on Pinterest:

And I think it’s a nice thought, but I don’t think it’s that accurate.

First off, he doesn’t change from caterpillar straight to butterfly. It goes caterpillar, cocoon, butterfly. Silly pinterest.

Here’s the main reason I don’t think it’s that accurate: I don’t think the Caterpillar is very sad about being a Caterpillar when he is a caterpillar. How could he be sad about it? He doesn’t know any different.

But he probably is sad about changing from Caterpillar to Cocoon. It must be scary and lonesome. He knows what it was like to be a Caterpillar and it was way better than being stuck in a Cocoon all the time. And he has no idea when or if he will ever get out of his cocoon and he has no idea what life will be like if he does get out of the cocoon.

Also, the cocoon probably isn’t that comfortable. He never sees the sun. He doesn’t get to eat the leafy, green plants he so loves. And metamorphosing into a butterfly is probably painful. His entire being is changing and growing and shedding in a very short period of time. And the Caterpillar has no idea why he is going through all that pain. Except to assume that maybe it means he will be horribly disfigured and will never function as a normal caterpillar again. Maybe he will die miserable.

We know that the Caterpillar (in his Cocoon) should be excited, because his cocoon is preparing him to be this beautiful, amazing creature that can fly. So much better than grunging around as a slimy Caterpillar. We treasure the idea of a Cocoon so much that we use it as a synonym for a warm, cozy place. We know that God gave caterpillars cocoons so that they can become beautiful Butterflies. But the Caterpillar just sees his cocoon as an awful burden; he wants to go back to his easy and comfortable Caterpillar ways.

I think the cocoon is a lot like trials. In the midst of a trial, we have no idea why things are so awful and dark and scary and lonely. We fumble around, trying to get back to where we were before the trial. In the middle of a trial—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. We have no comprehension of whether or not this awful chapter of life will end. It could be permanent. We may never get back to our happy little Caterpillar ways.

But if I know one thing, it’s that God knows that our trial is a little cocoon that should be celebrated. We’re going through it so we can turn into a beautiful, amazing creature.

God sees our Butterfly-selves. He knows who we can become. He also knows that it won’t happen as we lounge around, nibbling on green plants and crawling in the dirt. So He gives us a trial. He gently wraps us in a cocoon, ever watchful and tender. He doesn’t take the trial away and He doesn’t always answer our questions; rather, He soothes our fears and worries until we can crawl from our cocoon and see for ourselves the beautiful creature that our trial has made of us.