G. I. Ant

“I didn’t decide to change into a butterfly. That is just how God made me. He made all of us different. We have some things that are the same yet we have things about us that are different,” Monica said.
“When I was a caterpillar, I ate all the time. I didn’t eat macaroni and cheese or hot dogs. I ate leaves and flowers. Those helped me grow very fast. I would grow so fast that I shed my skin at least four times. Each time I grew new skin. Finally one day I was just the right size. I began weaving a silk cocoon by spinning threads that I made to protect me while I changed into a butterfly. Since the weather was warm, it did not take long for me to change. In just a few weeks I came out of the cocoon,” Monica explained.
“God is so amazing. He could have made you a beautiful butterfly to begin with but He made you so you could do things to change. That is a little bit like how He made us when we become Christians,” G. I. Ant said. “When you came out of the cocoon, were you able to fly?”
“Yes, God is amazing. He made us all unique and we all have the ability to change. When I came out of the cocoon, I had to rest for awhile and let my wings dry and let my blood fill my wings. It took some practice but it didn’t take long until I was ready to fly. Now I’m free to soar in the air and fly from place to place. I love God and I thank Him that He made me who I am,” she said excitedly.
“I’m glad He made you who you are and I’m so glad He helped us find one another to be friends. That’s amazing Monica. Are we ready to go play ball? Can I be the pitcher?” G. I. Ant asked.
They had so much fun playing ball and laughing as they played together. “It’s time for me to go home now,” Monica Butterfly said. “I’ll see you boys at church on Sunday.”
“Good bye Monica. It was fun playing today. See you at church,” Izri said.
Just as Monica left, Dad came home from the school. He had been at the school preparing for the new school year to begin soon. The boys hurried and gathered their toys and put them away because they knew it would soon be supper time.
“Did you boys have fun today?” Dad asked. “Go ahead and get washed up and we will talk during supper. It sure smells good. Your Mom must have made another great supper for us.”
The boys were really hungry and tired after playing outside all afternoon. It was fairly quiet at the supper table. “I’ll clean up the kitchen while you are bathing, then we can do a Bible story. I’ve already picked one for tonight. I think you will enjoy the one I have chosen,” Mom said as she began to clear the table.
Dad took Benjamin to the living room. He put the play mat on the floor and got his little trucks to play with to keep him occupied as they had their devotion time with the boys. The boys were really fast getting their baths because they were anxious to hear the Bible lesson.
“I heard you boys talking to Monica today about being a caterpillar before she became a butterfly. What did you boys think about that?” Mom asked.
“It was amazing,” Izri said. G. I. Ant joined in and said “I think it would be really cool to be changed like that.”
“It would be amazing, and the truth is, you have been changed,” Dad replied.
“Yes, that’s what we are going to talk about tonight,” Mom said. The Bible tells us that we are a new creation in Christ, our old things pass away and all things become new.”
“In the Bible there is a man named Paul. Paul was a great man of God but that was not always the way he was. In fact, he wrote at least thirteen books in the New Testament. He traveled to many places to start new churches and he helped many people know more about God” mom said.
Dad added, “Before Paul was this GIANT man of God, he was known as Saul. He went to church and he knew what the Bible said but he was not a doer of the Word. He was mean to the Christian people and he hurt them. Most people were afraid of him.”
“One day as he was going to a town to hurt some Christians, Jesus appeared to him. Jesus told him that He wanted him to stop hurting the people and turn his heart toward Him,” Dad continued.
“God sent another Christian man to him, named Ananias. Ananias told him the Gospel, then they prayed and Saul was filled with the Holy Spirit. From that time on, Saul was changed into a new creation. Saul’s name was changed to Paul. He spent a long time learning more about Jesus and allowing God to make him that new creation. He was changed into a new man. He was still Saul but his heart was changed because of Jesus. He studied his Bible and his mind changed about how he treated people. He lived his life serving God and he was a real GIANT for God,” Mom said.
The boys sat on the couch taking in every word. As they heard the story, G. I. thought about Monica Butterfly’s story about becoming a new creation.
“When you asked Jesus to forgive your sin and come live in your heart, you were changed just like Paul. Now you need to read your Bible and be a doer of the Word so you can become GIANTS for God,” Dad said.
“That is why some things you used to like you no longer like. Even as Monica used to eat the leaves and flowers, now she drinks her food. It is the nectar from the flowers, water and the juice from fruit. She has been changed and the things she likes has also changed. Now that you love Jesus, you like to go to church and learn stories from the Bible. You are a new creation.”