Spring is the start of many new
things, we see new life springing up out of the ground, trees coming back to
life, and new life being born in farmer’s fields.
Two years ago, in Spring, I was able to witness
first-hand the life cycle of a butterfly.
I received some caterpillars by post (intentionally might I add!), as
part of a kit from a company called Insect Lore. When they arrived, they were
only a couple of millimetres long but as they ate the food that came with them,
their size increased until they were almost one hundred times their starting
size.
When the time was right, they climbed to the top of the pot and a
complete transformation took place, when they formed into chrysalides. A couple
of weeks later they emerged from their chrysalides and turned into butterflies.
I was then able to release them into the garden. It was
glorious to see something so small and seemingly insignificant turned into a
beautiful butterfly. It got me thinking that the little, insignificant things
we do in life can often have a huge effect on those around us and we might not
even realise. Every action that we do then, must be done with love and care, as
if we were doing it for our maker – “for whatever you did for the least of
these, you did for me” (Matthew 25). What are we going to do differently in
this time of self isolation because of COVID-19; with more love and more of
Jesus in our lives, as we travel onwards through this time of new beginnings?
There is also an element of waiting and patience involved
in waiting for caterpillars to grow large enough to transform into chrysalides,
then hatch into butterflies. Those who know me will realise that I am not the
most patient person, so there was constant checking of the habitat and
wondering why it wasn’t time yet. I could barely contain my excitement when the
first butterfly emerged, it was a glorious moment. How many times are we left
waiting? I’m sure there are different kinds of waiting for different kinds of circumstances,
from the excited expectation of a child waiting for Christmas to a mother
waiting for her child to come home from tour in the Armed Forces, or indeed
waiting for things to change, an illness to get better, or waiting for a new
beginning like the birth of a baby. God is there with us in all of our waiting.
Let us know the peace and love of Christ as we move forward in all aspects of
our lives.
There is also sometimes an element of disappointment.
Nature isn’t always perfect, as I found out with the last 2 chrysalides. One of
them didn’t hatch at all, and the last one to hatch was hatched with broken
wings and he couldn’t fly. We tried our best to make the best of the situation,
Mark built him a little habitat so he could enjoy being outside but still be
safe as he kept wandering in to the road of all places! The important thing to
remember is that God is always with us, even in times of disappointment and
illness, and in these times it is important to draw near to him and still have
faith.
In this time of waiting, frustration, and disappointment caused by
COVID-19, let us try to once again connect with God, to become human beings,
rather than human doings, to take time to reflect on who we are in God’s love.
At the end of this time of self-isolation, who knows, we might be something
completely different, and more beautiful, just like when a caterpillar turns in
to a butterfly.
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