A caterpillar can teach us about spiritual growth

Scientists call a caterpillar an eating machine.

Some caterpillars consume 27,000 times their body weight during this life phase. Caterpillars increase their body mass by as much as 1,000 times or more. Imagine if a baby did this. A typical eight pound baby would grow to four tons! Caterpillars do this in about a week. All that change requires a massive consumption of food.

These amazing insects remind us that if we are to change, we must feast on the Word of God. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds, not by trying really hard to be good. In order for the mind to be renewed, we must have a massive intake of the Food of the Word.

Jeremiah said, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16 (NKJV)

Ezra too feasted on the Word, “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.’ So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.” Ezekiel 3:3 (NKJV)

David described the Word this way, “More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Psalm 19:10 (NKJV)

People who are changed feast on the Word. People who are not changed rarely ingest the Word.