When we start our walk with God we start a journey. This journey is the transformation of us as a lost soul, to becoming a reborn spirit being to ultimately becoming more Christlike. The goal of all Christians is to become more like their savor and friend. This is only possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. Our part is to be open to his teaching us and molding us into a better version of ourselves.
God is the potter, we are the clay. He puts us on his work table and begins to remove the impurities in us. We become aware of our imperfections, our anger, our resentment, our unforgiveness towards others and any other hidden areas in our lives. He lovingly teaches us to let go of the disappointments, and the hurt. He starts to mend our hearts. As we heal, we become aware of ourselves in a new and different way.
As we grow in Christ, the natural progression is to lay aside our old desires, our old ways. We start to be stripped of our selfishness, our pride, our sense of importance. A new awareness emerges of being human and our dependence on God. As we are stripped, we become more humble. We no longer need to boast of who we are, our skills, or knowledge. We stop drawing attention to us as a person, and start to direct the acclimation of accomplishment to God. Our boasting is based on the goodness and faithfulness of God. We no longer need to draw attention to ourselves because we have become secure in the knowledge of the perfect love and acceptance of God. The need to prove ourselves is gone.
When I think of a Butterfly, I am convinced the transformation process is similar to what happens in a born again Christian. Like a caterpiller we are inching our way through life. We are unaware of the future beauty that God has planned for our lives. Then we become aware of our limitations, our sinful nature. We choose to die to ourselves. We choose to discard our old ways and take on the nature of Jesus, aiming to be more like God. We surround ourselves in Him and allow him to do the work necessary to transform us. Its uncomfortable. When God is done, we slowly emerge, test our new wings, and suddenly find ourselves flying. We aren’t aware of the perfection of what God has done in our lives. The beautify of reflecting Jesus is what other see. When we are set free, we start to interact with others. We actively pollinate those we encounter. We bring Jesus to others so that they too can be transformed and reborn.
God’s design and purposes are so simple yet complex. Only he can change what was essentially a worm into a beautiful free being. The concept is the same in people. He takes what was nothing more than a sinful being into a righteous reflection of Jesus. The beauty that was always intended to be seen, is now revealed.