Metamorphosis of Butterflies and The Spirit
The butterfly is, to most Christians, God's symbol in nature of the transforming power of The Holy Spirit.
- The Greek meta means 'after, beyond, change or transformation'.
- The Greek morph means 'form or structure'.
- And the Greek osis means 'condition'.
That's exactly what happens to the butterfly and to the spirit of those who are spiritually 'born again' through Jesus Christ:
a transformation in form as a new condition.
Let's look at butterflies first:
Butterflies are split up into three groups:
- the "true" butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea),
- the "skippers" (superfamily Hesperioidea)
- the "moth" butterflies (superfamily Hedyloidea).
- The largest butterfly from Australia (pictured here) is a true butterfly.
- The skippers are so named because of their quick, darting flight habits. They also have the antennae clubs hooked backward like a crochet hook.
- The moth butterflies are, I believe, not pretty at all. They look like moths!
Unlike many insects, butterflies do not experience a nymph period, but instead go through a pupal stage which lies between the larva and the adult stage (the imago).
What does this mean?
It means that a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. But it's not that way with butterflies! Butterflies are termed as holometabolous insects, and go through complete metamorphosis from
- egg
- to larva (caterpillar)
- to pupa (as much as two weeks in the cocoon)
- to new physical butterfly who flies (imago).
Let's look at coming to life of the spirit through Jesus Christ:
The life of a Christian human being:
- sperm/egg,
- to fetus (9 months in the uterus),
- to human being baby (crying),
- to new spiritual creation in Christ.
In fact, no other creation more closely pictures spiritual rebirth in Jesus Christ than does the butterfly.
And what is the job of both the butterfly and spirit-born Christian? To pollinate!
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20 This is what is called The Great Commission of Jesus Christ.
So is there any wonder that I think of the most important words Christ gave to His Disciples every time I see a beautiful butterfly pollinating a flower?
Or any wonder I am awed by God's amazing picture of the process to a new spiritual creation in Christ?
(c) 2009 April Lorier
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20
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