This is one of those observations from my softer side.
When I stood out in the front foyer of our church, working my normal voluntary duty for the church safety team, I noticed some slow movement on the ground in the front walkway. I stepped outside the front doors to get a closer look.
There, at the front of the walk, meandering slowly in slightly different paths, but in the same direction, were two little black and yellow caterpillars. Even though both little prepubescent butterflies were very similar, they were of different sizes. One was a little fatter than the other, and one was missing one of its antennae. I took a second to watch the little guys move in their slow crawl, and saw that they were making their merry way towards the front doors of the church.
And realizing the symbolism, I couldn't help but smile.
How many believers like me forget about the analogy of the caterpillar and a butterfly, and a nonbeliever and believer's life journey?
What if we as Christians could focus on this image more often? Have we gotten away from it? We're so busy trying to help people realize they have a way to turn to a savior, it's easy to forget to tell people they have a chance to change - to be something better than they are. And just like the caterpillar, God is the force behind that incredible change into a butterfly.
Anything could've persuaded those little caterpillars to head towards the front doors of the church. Just like it could be anything that sends some strangers in on any given Sunday to listen to the good preacher.
But just like the two caterpillars, any two strangers could come in with the most unique qualities that define each of them. They could be fat, skinny, short, tall, gay, straight, black, white brown, Muslim, Jew, Hispanic, Chinese, racist, bigoted, vengeful, spiteful, jealous, mean, nice, weak, strong, rich, or poor, Democrat, or Republican.
But once they start that journey by choosing to believe the truth of Jesus Christ... as long as they stay the course and keep the faith, they will metamorphose into a sanctified person, ready to spread that hope and faith to others.
Just like that caterpillar that keeps on crawling until it spins a cacoon, and breaks out of the pupae and spreads colorful wings of a butterfly - a true believer dies to their old ways and actions, and people see a new person emerge... in the way they treat others; in the way they serve others.
I didn't want to get too deep on the subject today. But perhaps we can remember that as long as we want others to believe as we do, let them maybe want to by how they see us live day to day, and how they see us treat others.
Just today's two cents... from a softer side :)