Flutter Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

So, a while back, I learned something pretty crazy.

A hornet “scout” will fly into a nest before bringing its troops in to attack the honeybees and demolish their hive. But what’s interesting is that the bees know how to defend themselves when they see a hornet coming their way. Once the hornet is in, the bees pile up close to the hornet and eventually cover its entire body. Then they begin to vibrate and warm up, to create a heat level of 117°.

What’s interesting is that bees can only handle up to 118°. However, hornets can handle only 115°. The honeybees vibrate this way to basically “fry” the hornet, and save themselves, their larvae, and their hive.

When I first learned about this, it made me think about how intricately, intentionally, and wonderfully God made all of creation. Not only did He create both the hornets and the bees, but he gave each insect distinct survival instincts and tactics. Every part of creation contains God’s wisdom to continue through the circle of life.

Here, look at the honeybees. God gave them wisdom to defend themselves in this way. They use the stamina already inside of them to warm up to the degree that they can handle. God cares so much about His creation that He even gave honeybees a way out of their troubles. In the same way, He gives you wisdom when danger, trouble, and trials lurk. He always provides a way out of whatever you face.

If God provided a way out, gave His wisdom, and cares that much about bees, how much more does He care and do all of that for us? Jesus says in Matthew 6:26-27, Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life?

In comparing to birds, another creature carefully created, Jesus helps us understand our worries do not add hours to our life, but they get wasted. How often have you looked back on your times of worry and patted yourself on the back?

Or think about a butterfly. From caterpillar and worm-like features, it crawls, fattens up, and eventually gets cocooned, dissolving into mush for a complete transformation. How wonderful is it that God made a plan for every caterpillar to have the most beautifully designed wings? Even though its environment might affect, maim, and cripple it, it still pushes through and survives, fluttering by and feeding on the faithfulness of God.

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:3-4

As I ponder about God’s creation, I’m in awe that He gave us His word to live by. It’s how we get to know Him more, how we grow in our relationship with Him. He didn’t give it to the bees or butterflies, the birds or hornets, because they have instincts to live by. Those instincts are their instructions. Though we also have “human” instincts, we have more than that. We have a direct connection to our Heavenly Father, who responds, loves, values and pursues us infinitely and more.

Trust in Him, continue to do good, dwell in the land, and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in Him, and He will give you the desires of your heart, which come from a place of relationship with Him.

Are you not much more valuable than they are?