A lesson from a butterfly..

So, Saturday I went outside to get some air, and I ran across an old friend.

A blue butterfly. An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail if we’re being formal.

Two years ago, I first stumbled across the butterfly in my driveway. It amazed me because not only did it have bright blue wings, but its underside was orange as well. It’s absolutely stunning.

It reminded me that God has no limits to the creativity he uses to express his creation. He did not limit this swallowtail to only one side of radiance, but took up space on the entirety of its being. He did not think “You can only be this way. That’s all you can be.”. He made it bold on both sides. I think that’s something we struggle with sometimes. We limit ourselves to one version. One label. One mark. God does not withhold his creative stroke. We take up the whole canvas of who we are with one thing but there’s more to you than meets the eye. Being both the creator of the butterfly and you, his style is the same.

 As I continued to look at the butterfly, I noticed even more intricacy. This was not the butterfly I knew. This butterfly didn’t just have blue wings; it had wings that cascaded from Santorini Blue to the purest of turquoises. As the sun hit its wings, the colors rolled and traveled with each movement. It was incredible. I didn’t see any of this when I found it the first time. It was iridescent.

As I watched in awe as the colors changed with each poised rising and setting of the wings, I saw God’s love poured out again. Even what seemed simple, was incredibly vast. It was never just one color. God’s love is described in the layers and dimension that he gave to each one of us. Each movement, each detail reflects God’s delight in you.

Years ago I looked and marveled at the beauty of this butterfly. Today, I look at the same butterfly and marvel in a whole new way. In this, I see how we go from glory to glory. God is constantly revealing the fullness of his design. It makes me appreciate who I am today even more. I thought that the first version of the butterfly was beautiful, but the version I saw Saturday showed me things I never knew I could see. I thought the same for myself. This little butterfly reminded me that I have grown and there was more extravagance to be revealed. I took the first glimpse I had in a while that day and I know that as I continue to walk with him in love—I will grow more extravagant than I ever thought possible.