Butterflies – Symbols of New Beginnings

Growing up and playing outside in East Texas, I became enchanted with the small yellow butterflies that gracefully floated in our backyard. I would watch them as they moved from one flower to another, quietly alighting on colorful petals, drinking the plant’s nectar that sustains and nourishes their tiny bodies. My fascination with these graceful, elegant creatures has continued all my life.

While butterflies are not specifically mentioned in the Bible, we associate their life cycle with transformation, rebirth and new beginnings. Starting out as a tiny white dot on a plant host’s leaf, a butterfly egg soon turns into a caterpillar munching its way through every leaf in this bountiful buffet. Eventually, the caterpillar reaches the point where it can eat no more and attaches itself to a strong foundation where it spins a chrysalis. This enveloping shell allows it to undergo a metamorphosis and become transformed from a “not so pretty” caterpillar into the gorgeous, usually colorful, ethereal winged beauties that we see flying in gardens.

This transformation from an unattractive caterpillar to an entirely different being is what we go through when we accept Christ into our lives. Like a butterfly, we also go through a type of metamorphosis; our life prior to accepting Christ is similar to the “I can do this all by myself” caterpillar stage; our deep dive into learning and absorbing the words of Christ is like the chrysalis stage as we wait for His words to sink in; and the acceptance of Christ in our life brings with it a new beginning just like the butterfly emerges in a different form more majestic and beautiful than before.

This transition from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly symbolizes earthly life, resurrection and rebirth, which is the foundation of our Easter message. Easter is my favorite holiday because of its focus on hope and new beginnings, and having the image of a butterfly so closely aligned with Easter makes me appreciate these creatures even more.

The next time you are in a garden and see a butterfly slowly circling a flower, think about the transformation that produced this graceful beauty. It may make you stop, slow down and think about the transformation that has taken place in your own life by accepting Christ.