Fire Ants and Butterflies

One afternoon I made use of the outdoor toilet in the village in Kempong Speu, Cambodia. While in squat position, my focus shifted towards some miniature critters, known as fire ants.  They were marching steadily in a line along the fence.  My enchantment with the fire ants quickly vanished when several yellow butterflies flew directly above the colony of ants.  “That’s it!”  I exclaimed.  I rushed back from my finished business, to share my revelation with my team members.  “Living in community is like fire ants and butterflies.”
 
You see, sometimes living in community can sting as small as one fire ant bite, or as much as stepping in an ant pile and before you realize it, you are covered in bites and yelping, “Help!” 
 
These fire ants of community come in many different shapes and forms.
 
One way is constructive feedback.  Receiving constructive feedback may sting a bit or a lot…When you surrender your right to be “offended” and take what you have received before the Lord, beautiful things begin to happen.  You either realize that the feedback you received is not applicable to you, and then you can let it “roll off.”  Or you recognize that you did need to hear what was said to you, and take time to process and allow the Lord to continue the good work of redemption He has begun in you.
 
Sometimes a fire ant bite looks like a word spoken in anger, hurt, or frustration.  Other times it takes the form of rudeness, selfishness, bitterness, unforgiveness…
 
The beauty is, that community is not just a bunch of fire ants.  Community can be as beautiful as the process of the life cycle of a butterfly.  However, it takes time and patience for it to get there.  There are four stages of the life cycle of a butterfly.
 
1. Egg: Laid by the female, usually onto a leaf, stem, or other object located near caterpillar food.
2. Larva: the long, worm-like stage of the butterfly or moth. As it grows, it sheds its skin four or more times so as to enclose its rapidly growing body.
3.  The chrysalis (or pupa) is the transformation stage within which the caterpillar tissues are broken down and the adult insect's structures are formed.
4. The adult (or imago) is colorful butterfly or moth usually seen. It is the reproductive and mobile stage for the species. The adults undergo courtship, mating, and egg-laying. The adult butterfly or moth is also the stage that migrates or colonizes new habitats.[1]
 
I think that community living is most like the chrysalis stage…community living is transforming, and can bring about growth and maturity if you allow it to.
 
Laughter, intentional time with team mates and squad mates, adventures of Rafting the Nile River or making hummus from a magic bullet, sharing your plate of food with at least 10 other people, long runs and great conversations, worship together with your squad, serving together, washing dishes together, doing LIFE together…this is the beauty that shines through in community.  This is the adult stage of the cycle.
 
The great thing about cycles, is they keep cycling and recycling…around and around, again and again.
 
I can’t imagine living my life a different way than I am right here, right now.  I consider community a huge gift, a blessing…and also a sacrifice. 
 
Today, choose to see the beauty of community living.  Take some time to just BE with the people around you.  Love them, laugh with them, cherish them, hug them, maybe even bite there shoulder.  Thank the Lord for the people He has placed in Your life and take JOY in them!