This story seems incredible but is true. Two friends of mine were one day walking through a park in the West Midlands, when they came, as one does, to a park bench. One of them looked down and saw a caterpillar and for some reason his attention became locked upon that small creature making its way along the bench. They both stopped, as they obviously did not have much to do that day, and watched the caterpillar.
The creature walked along the bench or crawled (whatever caterpillars do) and would stop, turn around and go back again and they became fascinated with what they saw. They started to make noises and their excited words started to attract attention from people passing by. Eventually a lady hearing them being so clearly excited came over and said, ‘What are you looking at?” They said, “The caterpillar!” Her response was, “Is that all.” and she picked up the caterpillar and hurled it into the lake.
They were taken aback by her actions but one managed to not quite control his annoyance and said, “It was your caterpillar, was it?” She was more than a match for him and said, “No! Was it your’s?”. She then left the park and they went to the edge of the lake and gazed down upon the caterpillar drowning in the silt under the water.
They felt sorry for the caterpillar and thought it would be better for it to die on dry land than under water. So they found a stick and poked around in the silt and carefully lifted the creature out of the water and onto dry land. To their amazement the sun dried out the caterpillar and it moved away. They had saved the life of that small creature. They felt immensely proud and pleased with themselves and really thought they should have had an award from the RSPCC: Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Caterpillars!
However, the care they would take for a caterpillar was strictly limited. If it had required removing shoes and socks and rolling up trousers they were not prepared to go paddling for the sake of a caterpillar. They certainly would not have dived down into the deeper water for a caterpillar. Their care, kindness and concern only went so far and no further.
To God we are, as human beings, worth more than many caterpillars. God sent Jesus to save us, not from drowning, but from the corruption of sin and its consequences. It was amazing how far Jesus would go to save us and grant us the blessing of eternal life.
He came to earth in the form of a baby at Bethlehem and that was incredible as it meant leaving the splendour of Heaven for the dingy indignity of a stable. In many ways that was humiliating enough, but He went to Calvary’s cross to die a death of unimaginable shame and agony for the sins of the world so that all who believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. We give thanks to God today that His love has no limit because Jesus went all the way to Calvary so that we might be saved and enjoy the glory of eternal life.
Written by Paul Young for Your542Day & Messages with Meaning (10/07/21)
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