Cho Jae-eon
While watching a documentary recently, I learned something surprising: the chances of an egg in the wild becoming a butterfly are extremely low. Even if a female lays dozens or hundreds of eggs, most are lost to wind, rain, or predators, and fewer than 10 percent ever hatch. Of the larvae that survive, only about 10 to 40 percent reach the pupal stage, and of those, only 50 to 80 percent emerge as butterflies. In the end, only a tiny fraction of all the eggs actually become butterflies.
The larval stage is the most perilous part of a butterfly’s life, as birds, wasps, and ants all prey on them. Even if a larva survives these threats and becomes a pupa, it must still contend with parasitic wasps and flies. Though a pupa may look unharmed on the outside, a parasite inside can consume it from within, leaving only the parasites to grow.
I had always understood that a tiny egg transforms into a beautiful butterfly through the larval and pupal stages, but I had never realized how much danger it faces along the way.
I reflected on my spiritual growth. Out of countless people in the world, I have been blessed to be called by God and led to Zion. In the early days of my faith, when I was like a fragile caterpillar, easily swayed by temptation. But as time passed and my faith grew, I became a pupa—stronger and more resilient. Yet even in apparent stability, danger still lurks. Jealousy, resentment, hatred, or stubbornness can quietly creep in, slowly eroding my inner self.
It is only when the pupa splits open that we see whether it has truly become a beautiful butterfly. In the same way, until the day I am transformed into the likeness of an angel and return to my heavenly home, I want to be filled not with the stains of sin or the decay of jealousy and envy, but with a flawless, radiant spirit. Longing for the day I can spread my wings and soar, I will diligently study and live by God’s word until I am fully transformed.