Lessons from a Butterfly

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Ephesians 4:29

The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.  Proverbs 12:18

There our Painted Lady Butterfly sat, delicately perched on the purple blooms of a Mallow plant, shuttering its wings- patterned with the colors of day and night.  The sensors on the bottom of its feet gave the butterfly the "go ahead" signal.  (We had previously wiped honey on the flowers in hopes of witnessing its eating habits.)  What happened next had the comlete attention of my 3 year old daughter, my 5 year old son, his friend, and me- a grown woman.  A black coil developed out from its mouth and slowly stretched out into a straw-like apparatus and sunk into the honey doused flower.  Our Painted Lady held its sucking position for about 7 seconds, and then the straw-like proboscus coiled back into its mouth.

What started out as a lesson on pollination turned into a much deeper lesson that only God could have provided.

Here is a summary of what I discussed with my little explorers:

God created butterflies to have proboscuses long enough to pollinate certain flowers that other insects can not reach.  Butterflies use their parts as God designed them and that is beneficial to the flowers and to people, who use and enjoy flowers.  It is important that we use our "parts" as God, our Master Creator, designed them.  I've noticed that with the looseness of summer vacation, our words and attitudes have gotten looser.  I've heard silly name calling, arguing, talking back, tattling, telling falsehoods, and interrupting more than I can count, and summer has barely started.  And that's not just from the kids.  I confess I've let my tongue be more like an icky, unwanted pest than a helpful, working insect way too often.  God gave us mouths, first and foremost, to praise Him and spread His message of salvation through Jesus Christ.  Also, God gave us mouths to edify, or build up, one another.  That is the opposite of tearing down, name calling, tattling, lying, and arguing.  Of course, God gave us mouths to eat, and He wants us to take care of our bodies, so we even need to be mindful of what we consume.  Finally, God gave us mouths to communicate, share stories, and laugh.  With this treasure from God, we have the responsibility to know when to hold our tongues and when to watch our tone.  Just as the butterfly has sensors on its feet, telling it what is safe and good to eat, we have the sense of God's Word telling us when and how to speak, when to laugh, and what tone is appropriate.

Here is the beginnings of a chart we brainstormed- Mouths that Edify:

-Thank you for cooking us this yummy meal!
-You're good at throwing.  Will you show me how to throw like that?
- {I'm choosing not to laugh because they're goofing off while the teacher is teaching us.}

We will continue to add to the chart and review the chart throughout the summer.

As for our suspended lesson on pollination, adaptations, and habitats- well, we've got all summer, and we're excited!  We did release our butterfly back into God's natural world.

Thank you, God, for the depths of your creations and the spontaneous lessons they inspire.  Help us be fruitful this summer and delight in extra family time and extra time out in Your vast, miraculous creation.  AMEN.    

Seeking Wisdom

“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”  Proverbs 12:18

I have a long list of things I want to teach my children in this lifetime.  Very close to the top of the list is the willingness to seek wise counsel.  Proverbs 12:1 says “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”  Can’t get more straight to the point than that, can we?  Time and time again I have to take a second look at what I’ve done/said/thought and do a re-think.  Sometimes I come willingly to this realization.  Sometimes I am dragged there kicking and screaming.

I feel like I’m getting better at this.  Over the past year there have been many issues that have risen to the surface for which I have had to seek wise counsel.  I didn’t see the need immediately.  In some cases the issue had been brewing for years.  But it’s like this stubborn cough I have.  When I first got this cold I didn’t think much of it.  It wasn’t until week 3 that I started to get really annoyed and frustrated and wonder if I should do something about it.  Strained relationships often mirror this evolution.  A harsh word here or there, an occasional behavior that turns into a habit – one day we wake up and decide something has to be done.

And the way I feel, I could use some healing.  Think about how you feel the first good day after you’ve been sick.  It’s like a new start.  It’s like a fresh world.  “Woo!  So glad that’s over!”  It usually isn’t overnight – a magic drug that fixes everything in minutes.  It’s gradual.  And sometimes painful.  But in the end, there is healing.

Rash words can be exchanged easily.  Like the quick thrust of a sword, they can brutally injure us or those we love.  The tongue of the wise can bring healing.  I am not leaning on my own wisdom these days, but looking for experts to help me sort thru my messes.  I hope that my children will learn from my example and recognize the value of the advice we find in Proverbs.

Lord, thank you for providing wisdom.  Whether in the form of the words of a friend or a pastor or a professional.  Teach us through the wisdom of others and especially through the knowledge and wisdom we can find in your gift of Your Word.  We thank you for all these resources and ask your guidance as we use them to learn and to teach our children.  Amen.