Imagine a kingdom of caterpillars, they all look alike, they all behave alike. All they have known is to crawl around and looking at life from one perspective. Flying is a foreign concept to them, so foreign and impossible, that to bring it out in a conversation would be ridiculous. One day there is some disturbance in the caterpillar kingdom because it seems like some aliens have come to live among them. These alien creatures have got wings and they can fly. Their wings have got all sorts of colors and they look beautiful. These aliens eat strange foods that the caterpillars are not accustomed to. Because the aliens can fly, their perception of life and the world is very different to what the caterpillars have known.
These aliens called butterflies are so strange you can pick them out from any crowd of caterpillars. Now the strangest thing that rocks the caterpillar kingdom is the stories that the aliens are telling. The aliens tell the caterpillars that they were once caterpillars themselves living a very limited life but then they were transformed into butterflies and this can happen to any caterpillar that is willing to go through the process.
How many caterpillars do you think would be interested to undergo the transformation to become butterflies?
Romans 12:2 (AMP)
2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be [a]transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
You and I who are born again are the butterflies living in the caterpillar kingdom. The bible says that though we are in this world, we are not of this world. There ought to be a very distinct difference between those who are born again and those who are not. The way we see life and the way we do life must be very different from those who are still in the “world” Our priorities ought to be very different. In essence we ought to stand out just like a butterfly would stand out if placed in a crowd of caterpillars.
Our lights ought to shine before men that they may see our good works and give glory to our father in heaven. This is because our works should be so different from those of the world that when they are seen, they stand out and the people of the world knowing we were once like them and now seeing the difference will have no option but to acknowledge and give glory to God in heaven because they will realize that only He can bring about such a transformation.
Stand Out!
