But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. – 2 Corinthians 3:18
One of my privileges as an elementary school teacher was teaching a study unit using live butterflies. However, despite the name of the organism—“Painted Lady Butterflies”—they arrived in my classroom as small, furry caterpillars. They crawled around a plastic cup, eating the synthetic food provided by the science supply company. Occasionally, they left the cup to be held by first-grade hands. Then, one day, several caterpillars attached themselves to the top of the cup, making a characteristic J-shape before molting into a chrysalis.
The most exciting day, however, was the day when the first chrysalis started to wiggle. Math time was paused so we could gather around the butterfly house, and attention was concentrated on the emerging butterfly. It struggled and struggled, but finally made it out. Eventually, the butterfly house was full of butterflies that had completed their metamorphosis.
Paul told the Corinthians in today’s focus verse that Christians, too, are undergoing a metamorphosis, or transformation. When we are saved, God forgives us and delivers us from sin. He removes the veil from our eyes, we can see Who Jesus really is, and by His Spirit, we are changed to be more and more like Him. He continues to shape us into the image of Christ, adding virtue and removing attitudes and characteristics that are not pleasing to Him. Sometimes, that change seems a struggle. We may feel like we are hanging upside down, and the thought of emerging with glory may seem impossible. But as we look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, we are changed from glory to glory.
The butterflies that emerged in my classroom started out as eggs that were one to two millimeters long. They could have easily been overlooked out in nature. And yet, the potential contained in each one was great. So it is when we are saved. Truly, only God knows what He will do in and through us, but the potential is great! Day by day, we are made more like Christ, and just as the end of the story is the best part for the butterfly, so will be our final transformation into glorified bodies at Jesus’ return.