The Butterfly

My kids and I went to a fall festival at a barn last weekend. It was the perfect fall day and we had a great time. Of all the horses, the cats, the dogs, the chickens and the goat, the butterfly struck me.

It was brown and orange and was sitting on the pebbled driveway. I bent down and placed my hand near its legs expecting it to fly off. To my surprise it walked up into my hand. As I stood, this beautiful butterfly moved its wings to show off its beauty, yet it did not fly away. My son noticed and asked to "hold it" I explained that this was a precious time because butterflies aren't usually so peaceful and how careful we have to be with their gentle wings. Just then the butterfly flew off and my son was a bit disappointed. I felt confident that my son would want to grab hold of it tightly so it would stay with him. Firmly grabbing a butterfly will surely cripple it,if not kill it.

God spoke to me in that example. It is so important as mothers, spouses, leaders and friends that we not hold too tightly to what WE want in another. It is so important to hold onto someone with an open hand caring enough to allow God to have His way in their lives. We should encourage them, love them, hold them accountable, but never to our own standards or for our own purposes. To truly see beauty in another is to want for them what God wants for them and then see them fly.

Colossians 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.