Exploring Street Theology

Butterfly

It may surprise you that there is no biblical reference to the butterfly, whilst it’s close relative, the moth, is mentioned a number of times in the Old and New Testament.  We hear from Job stating  “While I am decaying like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.” Job 13:28 and Isaiah 51:8 claiming “For the moth will eat them like a garment, and the grub will eat them like wool. But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation to all generations.”

I suppose the most famous reverence to the activity of a moth is found in the words of Jesus, “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;” Matthew 6:19

Yet, whilst there is no direct reference to a butterfly the Christian is encourage to emulate it’s metamorphic nature, of being transformed into something beautiful. Dodinsky once said “The butterfly said to the sun, ‘They can’t stop talking about my transformation. I can only do it once in my lifetime. If only they knew, they can do it at any time and in countless ways.”

Oftentimes we see transformation as a one-time act. We find a problem and work on it until it gets better, then we go back to living life as normal. But the heart of God is for continual transformation. God longs that we would be so open and aware of the desire of the Spirit that we allow him to transform us every moment of every day.

Too often we just accept that we are who we are as if the God we serve didn’t have the power to continually set us free. We live as if the Holy Spirit is a God who only shows up every now and then to shake things up then retreats back into the heavens. But God is both loving and present. He is always there for us. He is always filled with desire for us. And the Holy Spirit is constantly ready to lead us, in love, out of the darkness and into the marvellous light of abundant life.

A Prayer

Lord, I was a pile of ash

And you made me a light for the world. 

I was a stone

And you made me salt for the earth.

I was as lifeless as clay

And you made me part of the Body of Christ.

I was sinful

And you made me holy.

I was nothing

And you made me part of everything.

 

Lord, in you I am transformed

And transformed still again.

When the discouraged cry for hope, make me hope. 

When the hungry cry for bread, make me bread. 

When the thirsty cry for water, make me water.

When the suffering cry for help, make me help.

When the sick cry for healing, make me healing.

When the bound cry for freedom, make me freedom.

When the outcasts cry for love, make me love.

 

Lord who is hope,

who is bread and water,

who is help and healing,

who is freedom,

and who is love,

Transform me anew,

and so keep me close to you,

as you transform the world.

AMEN