I’m sure that we have all heard of the metamorphosis process that a caterpillar undergoes to become a butterfly. I had heard it numerous times, particularly in elementary school and also in sermons. The process is a popular illustration for spiritual transformation. This past Friday, Dr. Mary Love noted something ridiculously obvious, that I had never considered. She said, “Butterflies can never become caterpillars again. The transformation is complete.”

Wow. That’s the ideal scenario! A complete transformation! That should be our goal! That when we build up the courage to CHANGE and to TURN AWAY, that we maintain the strength, by grace to stay CHANGED. To sin less, not committing the same sin again. That’s our aim. That’s how our lives and the lives of our families, friends and communities are changed. That’s how our culture is changed. Not by us, blending in, but by our complete Godly transformation!

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (Romans 12:1-2, The Message Bible).

Vajaah E. Parker
VCYC President 2006-2010