"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Hey Gang: As a young lad growing up in the hills of
Pennsylvania we were challenged to do something to aid in the war effort. World War II was the focus of everyone in
those days and we wanted to do our part.
So we spent a day a month searching throughout the hillsides and along
the road ways for milkweeds that could be used to make rubber.
Now, if you know anything about
milkweeds, you probably know that caterpillars love milkweeds and often attach
their chrysalis (cocoon) to it. We
often collected one and put in a glass jar that had a lid with air holes, with
a short stick and milkweed leaves for food. The stage was set and each day we
would watch one of the wonders of God's creation - metamorphosis take place.
Watching the caterpillar was like
watching a tug of war between two great warriors but the tug of war was God's
design to place strength in the wings of the butterfly that would enable it to
fly. I recall one time, when we made the
mistake of helping the caterpillar escape, only to see it lamely fly for a
moment or two, then drop to the ground and die.
In our work with human caterpillars who
are struggling to escape the cocoon that holds them captive, we learned there
is a time to help them, but there is a time to make them fight their way out of
the cocoon that holds them captive.
As I thought about this story, a sad
memory surfaced in my heart and mind. I
had a very good friend who was blessed with a wonderful mom but she was his own
worst enemy. I remember one morning when
I arrived at his house a little early and his mom had him standing on chair
while she washed his face, put his clothes on, tied his shoes, combed his hair
and lifted him down from the chair as she would handle a dozen of eggs. He was never allowed to fall and feel the
victory of getting up and putting one foot in front of the other. And, on the day he went off to college he was
totally unprepared for living in the real world; he came apart mentally.
The point, the caterpillar has no
choice in metamorphosis, but man must choose to be changed. To become a Christian, we must experience
death to the carnal man, so that "Like
as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we
also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
When the new creature crawls out of
the cocoon it has been transformed into something beautiful not at all
resembling its former self. The
butterfly uses its lovely wings to fly from flower to flower, drinking and
adding beauty to the environment. It is
no longer attracted to the milkweed leaves for feeding.
In the same way, our spiritual
feeding habits should clearly change when we become Christians. Instead of filling ourselves with 'weeds' we
should feast on the 'nectar' of God's Word.
Soooo, what does your diet consist
of? Are you feeding on milkweed or
nectar? Isaiah gave us the key to success
for breaking free from the cocoons of life that hold us in bondage. "Wherefore
do ye spend money for that which is not bread?
And your labor for that which satisfies not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that
which is good" (Isaiah 55:2).
Blessings,
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