A few months ago Daisy and I were walking through the garden on a very blustery day, when we spotted a weak and disabled monarch butterfly on the ground. It appeared to have recently emerged from its chrysalis but the wind had probably caused it to lose its grip while waiting for its wings to unfurl. This is a crucial time in a butterfly’s life. It must hang for an hour or two while the fluids from it’s abdomen act like an air-pump of sorts, causing its wings to fully unfurl and dry after becoming straight…flat…able to float and fly from flower to flower to feed on nectar and support it’s life. When a monarch loses its grip on the side of its chrysalis, the wings may not fully unfurl and can dry all crumpled up…making it unable to fly…totally disabled. In that state it will soon die from lack of nourishment or being able to fly away from predators.

So, I picked up the butterfly by offering it a twig to grab onto and gently placed it on a nearby plant. I hoped we had happened upon it early on and that it’s wings would continue to open and unfurl and it would soon be able to fly away…living life as God intended.

But checking on it later, the butterfly’s wings had not changed. Our help had come too late…this weak one’s life would soon be over.

That same week I had been studying Romans 15 in the Bible, which begins, “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just to please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please himself…”

We who are Christ-followers are to help others (not just butterflies), when they are weak…when winds of adversity have blown them off course and they need help regaining their grip…not judging or being critical when the cares of life have so burdened a brother or sister that their strength has drained away from them, for that will do them no good. Instead, we are to bear with each other (Colossians 3:13) for their good…for their instruction…lifting them up (so to speak) so they can recover and become healthy and whole…strong in their faith, as God intended.

I’m praying our eyes will always be on the lookout for those who are weak…always be ready to step in to help as needs arise. And may we see them early on…so help does not arrive too late. After all…someday the one in need of help might just be you…or me.

Lord Jesus, open my eyes to the needs of those around me. Thank you for the reminder that you did not live to please yourself but instead gave yourself…for us…which is exactly what we needed for life as God intended.