Transformers…More Than Meets the Eye!

Dear faithful readers. This is one of the 90 devotionals in the book! I hope you enjoy it, and it whets your interest to read more in ‘daily gems to spark your spirit’. Stay tuned!

Romans 12:2 ²

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

If you are a baby boomer, you probably remember seeing those commercials for ‘transformers’. My two boys always had them on their wish list for new toys! They were a pretty fascinating toy as you could move each part of a car, for example, and ‘transform ‘ it into a mechanical hero.

When I taught second grade I really enjoyed showing the children the ‘transformer’ insect, the butterfly.goes through each spring. I purchased a butterfly ‘cage’ and set it up according to the directions. It was such a great learning experience as the children watched each part of the process unfold, until finally a painted butterfly emerged from the cocoon. As the egg transformed into a caterpillar, we were amazed. Then the caterpillar transformed into the chrysalis, or pupa, we were in awe. But, when that butterfly inside the chrysalis began to shake inside, struggling to escape, we wanted to help! It wanted to get out. As the children watched the pupa shaking as it hung on the branch, the most assertive child would always attempt to open the ‘cage’ and try to help. Each year I had the same response. I had to stop them in their tracks and explain the process to them. You see, the little butterfly inside the cocoon is trying to flap his wings giving them strength and drying them from the material in the cocoon. If that process it stopped by an overzealous observer, the butterfly can never regain the strength in it’s wings, and…it dies. It cannot fly, as a result it cannot find nourishment from flowers, and the beautiful creation God designed for our enjoyment, is lost.

Well, the Bible implores us to become ‘transformers’ ourselves!. We have the capability of becoming either ‘conformers’, or transformers. Let’s explore this. I often listen to a group of women as they sit together and chat about the day. Well, one will say something like; ‘did you see the notice about our rent? It’s going up again’. Lady #1 says; ‘yes, I saw that, can you believe it? I am still recovering from the last rent raise’. Lady #2 says, ‘I know what you mean ! My rent payment takes up the largest percentage of my money.’ lady #3 says, ‘ And, they have not made any improvements around here…’. You get the picture. I guess it is human nature to jump in on the proverbial band wagon when on person starts a ‘bash fest’. Let me ask you. Does it do any good? Does it help the situation improve? If you answered ‘no’ to both those questions, then you understand the value of being a ‘transformer’.

In the apostle Paul’s book to the Romans, he tells them, DO NOT be conformed to this world. I am thinking one way we easily become conformed to this world, is through our speech. One person bashes the weather reporters, it becomes acceptable for us all to trash them. Same with doctors, lawyers, politicians, and on and on it goes. Without thinking, we want to agree with the person talking because that’s the way we thing. What if someone in the group had the courage to have a different opinion? ‘Yes, I did see the notice about the rent increase. I am so thankful that this place covers all the utilities! They all went up this year, even more than my rent will go up.’ That would really throw that group into a tailspin. They were all ready to agree with the negative woman, now they have to stop and think! Now, they can become a ‘transformer’ with the woman who was thankful.

In our daily lives, especially now with corona, we must be transformers’ in our thoughts. The Bible instructs us to do so. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. YOU are the only one who can direct your mind to a more positive and helpful thought process. Especially as we can see the end of the tunnel quickly approaching, we need to ‘transform’ our mind to a mind that is open to the new changes, open to maybe some set backs, open to being a helper instead of a hindrance to this process.

Be a transformer instead of a conformer….they are more than meets the eye!

Ask yourself, ‘Am I a conformer with the crowd, even when I don’t agree? Can I try a different approach and be a ‘transformer and trend setter’? I believe since God told us to be ‘transformers’, that is what He would like us to be. When we become transformers, we reflect the positive attitude God always has! Let’s reflect Him to the world.