A Caterpillar's Portrayal of the Gospel

By: Curtis Evelo | September 11, 2022

Have you noticed a caterpillar’s portrayal of the gospel message? Here around the ranch, we see such amazing things that make me ponder God and here’s one. So, the other day my son and I were checking on some Alfalfa that we cut 2 days ago. After cutting the alfalfa field, we have to let it lay flat out so it can dry down enough for us to be able to come with equipment to roll it up into big round bales. You may have seen those big round bales in some fields as you travel across areas where farmers or ranchers have done the same thing. Those bales of rolled up forage then becomes hay that is fed to animals (cows in our case) in a season when things like grass, alfalfa, grains stop growing.

The Caterpillar’s Portrayal of the Gospel Transformation of Being

As we were checking on this alfalfa field, we came to one of our irrigation ditches and noticed a caterpillar just doing its thing. You know, just inching along and eating smaller bugs on the branches of a tall plant in the grass covered ditch. My son and I just sat there and watched it for a while. The caterpillar was bothered by us watching it. In fact, it was attempting to crawl on our hands, and it wasn’t fazed to do so. As we watched this caterpillar our conversation went to discussing its future. Sometime soon, that creature is going to find a spot that is safe for it to start forming into a cocoon. Out of that cocoon will come a completely different creature: a butterfly!

The Caterpillar’s Portrayal of the Gospel Transformation of Desire

That caterpillar had died to itself and has become a new living being. Its desires are different, its abilities are different, how it communicates will be different. Then, it will eat nectar and flies from plant to plant. It will be beautifully colored and artistically matched from wing to wing! Not that the caterpillar wasn’t beautiful in its current form, but it pales in comparison to the butterfly it will become as a stunning display of art.

The Caterpillar’s Portrayal of the Gospel Transformation in Christ

My son and I discussed how even this event from caterpillar to butterfly proclaims the gospel! When we accept Christ as our Lord and confess Him with our mouth we then become “Born Again.” Our desires are different, our thoughts are different, how we communicate is different, as we desire to consume God’s Word as if it was fresh milk. We become a new creature! Here are some scripture references to ponder as you now possibly look at a caterpillar differently!

Check out Psalm 14:1, John 3:3, 1 Peter 1:23, Romans 1:18-20, and 1 Peter 2:2.

Conclusion

It is my desire to show people the mighty works of God in the world we see around us and to help bring scripture to living color for us to see. When Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be born again to see the Kingdom of God, he stated that the creature we are cannot in any capacity be in God’s presence while we are sinful by our natural state. And to be “born again” means we have a new “natural state.”

When God looks upon us in our “born again” state, he sees us cleansed by the blood that was shed by Jesus. Because of that, we can now enter the presence of God! In John 14:6, Jesus states he is the only way to the presence of God there is no other provision or way to access that. So, don’t miss out on how creation demonstrates the works of God. Also, don’t miss the words written for us to know the pathway.

About the Author

Curtis Evelo is a cattle rancher at the E6 Hereford Ranch in St. Ignatius, Montana. Curtis is the Co-Host and Producer of the Bellator Christi Podcast. He often teaches and speaks at his church Cornerstone Faith Center in St. Ignatius. Curtis provides a common-sense approach to Christianity as he contemplates the wonders of God’s creation in Big Sky Country. Curtis serves as the Vice-President of Bellator Christi Ministries, a contributor, and the co-host of the Bellator Christi Podcast. His research interests include Jewish studies in the New Testament, Old Testament typologies, and studies on free will.