Metamorphosis : The New Creature

People generally do not consider worms as beautiful creatures. In fact, when confronted with the tiny wriggly things, many people would shudder in disgust and even fear, even though it is almost certain that the worm is more afraid of them than they are of it.

But then, what do we know about other's fear when we ourselves feel it?

We tend to try to destroy that which we fear. Many a hapless and helpless worms have found their tragic end under a shoe or a rock, being literally squished to death.

It is a horrible death, and senseless, when one is dead simply because other beings misunderstood you so much.

I think of my little niece who one day found a fat, juicy, wriggly worm munching on a green leaf. My niece gently picked it up and ran to me, saying, "Aunty! Look! A cute caterpillar!"

I said, "Argh! A worm! Take it away!"

She just cradled it protectively and asked, "Why? It's cute!"

"Well, yes, when it's a butterfly! But not now!" I insisted.

My niece pouted, "Awww, aunty, don't be like that...it's so cute and helpless, see?"

Now, I admit that my niece's attitude had more to do with my change of heart concerning the worm (not that I would have squished it: I'd just have ignored it instead), so I said, "In that case, dear, put it back where you found it. It'll eat, sleep, and then when it's nice and cozy, it'll turn into a beautiful butterfly."

My niece replied, "Okay, aunty. I'll put it back. I'll watch over it too so nothing will disturb its sleep."

She turned to go, but then turned back to me and said innocently, "By the way, it might not be beautiful now, but it's still cute. See?" And she held the worm out to me, cradling it gently in the palm of her hand.

I simply said, "You are right. It is a cutey."

From the mouth of a babe; I swear, when will we learn to listen to them?

Now, let's think of all the people who seem like 'worms' at first glance. They certainly do not look appealing on the outside, character-wise. So, we tend to judge them based on their character, appearances, past life and choices, and we think that nothing good will come out of them.

If we were the people to judge anyone based on their past for future work commitments, then I'm sure we're all going to find faults with everyone.

Consider the people in the Bible whom God had used to be His messengers and workers. Noah, David, Mary Magdalene, Matthew, and all the rest of them. They all had colorful pasts, and even when God was using them, they still had issues.

Noah was drunk the once that we know of, that which did not make him a drunkard. But the point remains that the Lord, in His great Grace and Mercy, can take someone 'unworthy' and make him 'worthy'.

We can also still find issues with certain bold claims concerning some of the individuals mentioned in the Bible. Such as, sure David murdered Bathsheba's husband, but even though he was arguably a killer, that wouldn't make him a murderer! Moses might not stutter; maybe he just wasn't a gifted orator or a charismatic public speaker! Martha wasn't worrying about everything... she had her moments, that's all! And so on. We nitpick on everything, and like Moses give out so many excuses that we miss the main point.

And yet the point remains : No more excuses. God can make something out of nothing. We might be nothing right now: unworthy, of unsavory character, filthy, unwanted, hopeless, rough around the edges, etc. But when we surrender our lives into His Hands, then He will shape us into something, SOMEONE wholly new.

God will transform us, conform us, equip us, empower us, strengthen us, and beautify us inside out. While doing this, He will use us, that in so doing we obey Him and let Him guide us into becoming that Messenger in whom is The Message being contained and shared. We go through our own metamorphosis, emerging from the decaying cacoon as a beautiful butterfly (Bible, 2 Corinthians 5:17), a new creature.

Like Noah, David, Gideon, Peter, Zaccheus, Rahab, Paul....the list goes on... we all have a past (or present) life we know is better left behind.

In the here and now, however, we can be the Messenger, used by God to give a great and powerful message of Love, Hope, Forgiveness and Salvation.

Thank God indeed that He didn't and doesn't hold the past over anyone who gives their life over to Him.