Social Butterfly

I was thinking today of the term: Social Butterfly. Usually it has a bad connotation, you know. You think of some ditsy "Like oh my gosh, you put swaid with pearls. What's wrong with you?" girl who has a million of equally shallow friends that flitz from boy to boy to boy but has relationships that are just as shallow as her outfit choices. The Urban Dictionary doesn't look to highly of her either. (I've actually never used the Urban Dictionary before, but it seemed to be the only clear definition site that Google would give me.)

But I like to change things. Or at least alter them. Today I tackle the social butterfly. Delicately. Cause we both have nails that might break ;)

I'm going to start off by saying, right now I have the group of friends that pre-Radically-Altered-by-Jesus me would have been jealous of. Yes this is relevant. It's also true.

I think its relevant because that is my way of being a social butterfly (I came to that conclusion a little bit ago). But I don't think being a social butterfly is bad - in a way. And it won't be bad as long as you shake off the ditsy stereotype. Please.

seriously who wants to look like this?

See in order to be a beautiful butterfly, you have to be an ugly plain caterpillar first. My caterpillar stage was the first seventeen years of my life. My caterpillar was different then yours. I was awkward and strange and unusual and impossible to get along with and a self imposed loner. For others their caterpillar stage is shyness. Maybe it's in middle school when they are growing into and figuring out their own style, instead of what mom and dad say their allowed to wear. Maybe your caterpillar was you were shunned out of your own friend group for some reason and spent a while not knowing who you were or what you were supposed to do. It could just be because you were at a new school. Maybe your caterpillar only lasted a week. Or a month. A year. Or several like it did for me. But any which way you did it, you caterpillared. I think everyone caterpillars at some point in time. And we each go through it differently because, well, we are all different. But don't worry. They're is hope. You will not (or at least should not) be a caterpillar for your entire life. You can be, if you choose, but you don't have to.

After you caterpillar there is the equally awkward stage of chrysalis (or cocooning). This was me at eighteen during my first year of Interns. Maybe it's not as awkward as being a caterpillar but it is a very vulnerable spot to be. See when a caterpillar is ready to be a butterfly it makes itself a cocoon and begins its transformation. While it is in this stage of its life it hangs upside down from anything, in a cocoon, with no defenses. At all. If anyone wanted to they could pick a cocoon and cut it open and the poor insect would not make it. Or an animal could come and eat it. Doesn't sound pleasant does it? But it must be worth it, or God wouldn't make the butterfly go through it. Its during this stage that the butterfly gets its wings, and goes from ugly caterpillar to stunning butterfly.

For the social butterfly the chrysalis stage of life is when she (or he. Guys can be social too. And - butterflies......?) takes the time to step back from her caterpillarness and cocoon herself in God. Listening to what He thinks of her. This is where she gets her confidence. This is where she sets herself in her God, roots herself fully. New is added to her and the old is taken away. Did you know during this stage almost everything about the caterpillar changes. They lose legs, they gain two wings, and even their mouths change? So this is where God is changing our social butterfly. Hurts from her past are taken, hope for the future is given, and even how she thinks and speaks is being changed. It's also vulnerable because at this point you are neither a butterfly nor a caterpillar. Another caterpillar, seeing you going to change will try to bring you down and take you back. An unperceptive/immature butterfly may see that you're not a caterpillar and try and force you into butterfly-hood.

Did you know if you help a butterfly out of their cocoon (aka cut it open) the butterfly will die? That's because breaking out of the cocoon actually strengthens the butterfly's previously unused flying muscles. Being a butterfly is entirely new to the insect, it's always been a caterpillar or an 'in-between' - it needs to work out its muscles.

Just like the real butterfly the social butterfly (maybe I should just call it a Christian butterfly, I seem to be talking about Christianity more then being social...) has to break out of her cocoon. And like the caterpillar she was before how she breaks out is entirely different for each girl. My cocoon breaking was my second year of interns I would say. While breaking out the social butterfly already knows about her God and who she is in Him, now is her chance to work it. This is where she acts out on it. Now how she treats people is completely different. Making all kinds of friends is easy because she is beautiful. Don't get me wrong, if you're still in the caterpillar stage - you are still good looking. I'm not saying your ugly just because you aren't the 'social butterfly'.

But people make friends with the social butterfly for not only her outward beauty (she had that the entire time) but because of her character beauty. She spent her time with her God, and continues to do so. His love, His radiance, His friendship emits from her. How can you not be friends with that? And not only does she make friends easier then her caterpillar self, but she is better at staying friends with ALL of them because she has the character of God in her.

So really, the social butterfly is just a follower of Jesus.

Hollie.