The Cocoon

The Cocoon
This story comes in many forms and with differing detail. No matter, all of them make the same point. Please, read on!
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.
Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther.
Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of his life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.
It was never able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, were nature’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
The cocoon is a marvelous symbol of Easter. We would be butterflies. Jesus trials, trial and resurrection speak of the nature of life and relationships. Out of the grave emerged a butterfly. Jesus’ story speaks to us of the nature of our lives, our tasks, and the rewards of the future. Life may at times be extremely painful. We cannot ignore the pain. We choose to work through it for the eventual beauty of character and life that may be ours through Christ. Ultimately, there is a resurrection!