Charles LaFond, one of my favorite writers-from-the-heart, recently mused, “I have so many friends who have gone through a tremendous metamorphosis – an amazing change that transformed them into a new and better person. Once they emerged from their transformation, I often, secretly wished I could rename them given that they are such a ‘new creation.’”

I also have so many friends who have gone through a metamorphosis, as have I. A former pastor at the largest church in North America did as well. Here are some of his words.

“Looking back, I can see I made at least these mistakes as a megachurch pastor:
Putting church over community.
Putting orthodoxy over love.
Putting teaching over conversation.
Putting explanations over empathy.
Putting charisma over compassion.”

We can be more concerned with being right than good, which means we often miss what is right.   

Growth is a neverending story. God has his eye on metamorphosis. I was the caterpillar, but he saw the butterfly. Is “Butterfly” too weird for a new name? In the Old Testament Book of Judges, Deborah was a heroine, so that’s a pretty good name to stick with, but going forward, I’ll focus on love over legalism…and be free.

Kinda like a butterfly.