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POSITIVE BUTTERFLIES
FOR A POSITIVE LIFE |
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Caterpillars,
cocoons, and butterflies teach me about life. Too many people are
caterpillars, munching their way through life in a never changing
existence. They think that they are supposed to be caterpillars
for their whole life. Another group goes through the caterpillar
stage into the cocoon stage and remains there forever. They slip
into an unconscious state and sleep away their remaining days. A
few people wake up, break out of the cocoon, and emerge as butterflies.
Their life is full of brilliant colors and they soar on the updrafts of
God's love after they spread their wings and fly. What's it going
to be for you? Caterpillar, cocoon, or butterfly? |
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LESSONS FROM
THE BUTTERFLY
Outward appearances are deceiving, so don't be too quick to judge.
Take caterpillars, for instance. Some caterpillars are a thing of
beauty, but most of them aren't much to look at. They crawl around
like colored worms, they eat leaves for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner, and they have the personality of a sea slug. How many
people have invited you over to look at their caterpillar
collection? Few to none, I'll bet. When God passed out good looks,
he apparently skipped the caterpillars.
After caterpillars mature, they spin a silken chrysalis around their
plump body, and they go into what seems like hibernation. In the
chrysalis stage, they're not much to look at either. A chrysalis
may represent outstanding engineering, but as a thing of beauty it's
an abject failure. Their chrysalis condo is simply their crash pad
while God works the wonders of metamorphosis.
When the butterfly finally emerges from the chrysalis, a miracle has
happened. The former ugly duckling is now a thing of beauty.
Colors splash across its wings, and the former slug like plant eater
now enjoys the freedom of flight. It spends the rest of its days
flying from flower to flower sucking up the nectar of life.
Everybody likes butterflies. These delicate flying palates of color
remind us how much God loves beautiful things. God didn't have to
make them beautiful. He could have made them look like flying
slugs; just attach drab wings to a caterpillar's body, and the job
is done.
Perhaps God made butterflies to teach us lessons about life and make
us more tolerant and less judgmental. We are all a work in progress
and although were not butterflies yet, we can't become butterflies
without first being caterpillars. We've got to eat a lot of leaves
and do a lot of growing before we blossom into our final state.
Just as you can't judge a book by its cover, you can't judge a
caterpillar by its color. The caterpillar might not look like much
now, but when God gets done with it, it will become a creature of
splendor.
Judging people harshly in their caterpillar stage is a big mistake.
They are a work in progress, and what you see is not the finished
product. Right now, a person may not look like much, but when God
finishes working his miracle, a new person painted by God's palette
of love will emerge in awesome beauty.
Don't be quick to judge yourself in a harsh manner either; you also
are a work in progress. Your caterpillar stage might not seem like
fun, but God knows what He is doing. You have to be a caterpillar
before you can become a butterfly; there is no other way. God is
working behind the scenes, taking care of the details, and things
are going to work out.
God has a dream for your life that is better than you can imagine.
When you get into agreement with His plan, there's no limit to how
good your life can become.
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When Dr. Dave
isn't working as a Flying Doctor for the Indian Health Service, He
is sailing around the world on his sailboat.
Find out what it's like to sail
on the ocean of your dreams by watching Captain Dave's DVD.
RED
SEA CHRONICLES - DVD
RED SEA CHRONICLES PREVIEWS |
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