The Butterfly Effect

Our yard is filled with butterflies. All kinds. Small. Big. And lots of colors! I guess it figures since during this rainy season I have seen many a caterpillar mosey-ing along. Last Saturday, as we were all outside doing our weekly washing, one landed on Peter’s shoulder and stayed! I was amazed. He walked right up to me with it still sitting on his shoulder, saying “Look Auntie Leslie!”

I tell you all of this, in the midst of having our first short-term team here, for two reasons. Reasons that I needed to hear, understand, process and evaluate in my own life. Yes … this is one of Leslie’s philosophical moments. Ha ha!

Reason #1. The butterflies had been flying around our yard for at least a few days before I saw the one sitting on Peter’s shoulder. But it took him saying, “Look” for me to actually see. Sometimes that really bothers me about myself. It isn’t until someone points something out to me that an understanding, a dawning happens in my brain. As if my eyes were not comprehending the world around me prior to the aforementioned “Look!” And I guess the only word for that is self-centeredness. YIKES! Now that is something to sit down, reflect, take the time to process and understand and then take steps to change, isn’t it? Sometimes, I just need a small little reminder to stop. Look. I was just glad this time that reminder came in the form of butterflies.

Reason #2. Caterpillars are pretty cute if you look at them. They could happily stay that way forever, I’m sure. They have their needs met. They get plenty to eat. Of course, I’m guessing on this. I have not actually interviewed one, but I can only imagine that their simple little life is just fine with them. But then something happens. They start the cocoon. And suddenly are thrust into the world as a new creation! Not crawling, but flying. Not colorless, but colorful. Something brand new. I can only imagine what they are thinking in their little cocoons, but to be able to come out and see the world as only a butterfly can, it really must be something. It’s the greatest analogy to becoming a follower of Christ. We are all called to something greater when we enter this world. Life can be going along and then you hear it … Jesus is calling you. By name. To quit crawling in the muck and the mire and to fly! I’m ever more aware of this since being in Uganda. I see Jesus in these beautiful faces, soulful eyes and joyful smiles looking back at me. I see new creations, flying. They way they were created to fly. It’s a precious thing. One we should all remember!

As I write this from my “New Creation Family Home” (appropriately named, don’t you think?), I can only smile as I think of these kids and the new creations they have become. They were beautiful before they arrived, but now they can fly!

I have to examine myself, because sometimes, I go back to crawling. Breathing in the dirt and grime and forgetting that I was created, that I was called to something greater. That I too can fly because I’m a new creation. And I’m praying that the kids (and adults) we meet in these next 2 weeks will want to fly too.