Lessons from the Dragonfly (Day 2 from Beside Still Waters)

 

        For many of us when we first see a dragonfly we try our best to brush it away because its looks intimidate us, however they neither bite nor sting.  Perhaps we’ve been stung or bitten in the past and are afraid they will do the same, we often judge people and circumstances in the same way; why because we are focused on our fears. In our minds, we are thinking of every time we’ve been hurt, it’s like writing a screenplay and we’ve rewritten it a thousand times each time with a different horrible ending. Fear leads to worry, the more you worry about something it can cause you to panic; before long you have everything has blown all out of perspective.  My life was once ruled by fear because of the abuse, when I started studying my Bible I came across a scripture that changed my life; “There is no fear in love, but perfect love cast out fear because fear involves torment . . .” (1 John4:18 NKJV) As a child, I did not feel loved so I opened the door to fear, but when I realized God truly loved me I wasn’t afraid anymore. His word tells us He “has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love, and a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV) You see all fear begins in the mind, the more we focus in on it the more it grows and if we don’t get it under control it will consume us. One of the unique things about the dragonfly is its eyes; they are made up of about 30,000 lenses and can see a full 360 degrees all around, except behind them. If we would look at our circumstances from all sides before we jump right into fear, we just might see it as an opportunity for growth instead.  Proverbs 3:5-7 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” (NKJV)  The next time fear comes knocking at your door---don’t answer it; trust God instead!  

          Fear is just one example of the uncontrolled mind I used it to show you that it began with a single thought that gets blown out of perspective. There is a scripture I’ve used for years to help me when my mind wants to go where it shouldn’t, “Casting down arguments [imaginations] and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV) Then I follow it with, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10 NKJV)  As we grow in our walk with the Lord our mind, thoughts and imaginations, are constantly being transformed.

          Another unique thing about the dragonfly is that it has two pairs of wings that operate independently of each other allowing it to move in six directions, up, down, forward, backward, right, and left while flying at speeds between 35 and 45 mph; turning 180 degrees then stop on a dime.  Remember when I said one of the reasons my sister likes dragonflies is because they look like a cross?  The average dragonfly measures 1 to 4 inches in length, its body is made up of three sections and it has 2 pairs of wings; do you see the cross, the body is the main beam of the cross and the wings make up the cross beam. I would like to look at the dragonfly symbolically for a minute that gives validation to the cross. The Scribes and Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign that he was the Christ; however, Jesus said their only sign would be that of Jonah; “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man is three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40 NKJV)  Isn’t it amazing, the body of the dragonfly, the main section of the cross is made up of three sections! I find it fascinating when God can be seen in his creation.  But that’s not all let’s look at the wings, in Scripture the Holy Spirit is seen as a dove when Jesus went to the Jordan to be baptized by John the Baptist the Bible tells us that, “When he had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.” (Matthew 3:16 NKJV) Remember me looking at the dragonfly with spiritual eyes, and some imagination so stays with me as we look at the head.