In Christ Our Lives are Changed
I belong to a women’s organization called International Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows (IAMWMW). Our symbol is a kente cloth shawl draped over the shoulder and secured by a butterfly pin. The butterfly represents newness of life, change. The butterfly’s lifecycle is a remarkable illustration from nature of the transforming work of Jesus Christ in the lives of believers. The Bible says that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new creation. The old life is gone, and the new life has begun (2 Corinthians 5:17). The same God who takes a caterpillar and changes it into a butterfly transforms sinners into saints.
My husband preached a message years ago about how the caterpillar undergoes a stage of change into the beautiful butterfly, which is called metamorphosis. He preached about the form or nature of a thing or person changing into a completely different one, by nature or supernatural means. The idea conveys a radical change or complete transformation. The same word is used to explain Jesus’ transfiguration when his physical appearance was temporarily metamorphosed from an ordinary human to a divine being in all his glory: “His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light” (Matthew 17:2-3 Message Bible).
“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” (Matthew 17:1-5 NIV).
My husband preached a message years ago about how the caterpillar undergoes a stage of change into the beautiful butterfly, which is called metamorphosis. He preached about the form or nature of a thing or person changing into a completely different one, by nature or supernatural means. The idea conveys a radical change or complete transformation. The same word is used to explain Jesus’ transfiguration when his physical appearance was temporarily metamorphosed from an ordinary human to a divine being in all his glory: “His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light” (Matthew 17:2-3 Message Bible).
“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” (Matthew 17:1-5 NIV).