BLUE MORPHO BUTTERFLY
“But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good”
1 Thessalonians 5:21
Hi Men,
I hope you’ve had a wonderful week taking time to reflect on our amazing Savior. With the grandkids in town and preparations for Zion, it’s been a full week here! But something that was sent to me has kept me thinking.
It was one of those countless online comments we encounter these days, this one from someone using the handle “PurpleStrawberry,” making sweeping statements about the most successful businessman in the world right now. Strong opinions, but where was the evidence to support them? I respect someone’s right to disagree. What concerns me is how easily an opinion gets accepted as a fact.
It reminded me of a statement I’ve quoted before:
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”
It’s commonly attributed to Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister. Ironically, even that attribution doesn’t stand up to scrutiny! There’s a lesson for all of us: Hearing something repeatedly doesn’t make it true.
And nowhere does this matter more than in what we believe about the Bible. The best-selling book in history, with an estimated five to seven billion copies printed, deserves serious examination. Its historical accounts, manuscript evidence, archaeological connections, and claims of fulfilled prophecy deserve more than a dismissive wave of the hand. For one example, see my September 26 Friday letter and scroll down to “IS THE BIBLE RELIABLE?” for the bibliographical evidence showing how faithfully the text has been preserved. And people still blow it off…….
Yet I’ve often heard, “The Bible is full of errors.” My response is friendly and simple: “That’s interesting. Could you show me which ones?” In my own conversations, I’ve yet to have someone take me up on that invitation. Too often, we repeat a conclusion without examining how someone reached it.
Men, do we want to know the truth, even when it challenges what we already believe?
Jesus said:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
— John 14:6
That is a claim we cannot afford to treat casually. If Jesus is who He says He is, rejecting Him carries eternal consequences: separation from God in hell. That should move us to speak with both conviction and compassion. These are people we love, and eternity is at stake.
PHOTO ABOVE
THE BLUE MORPHO — MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
With my son John and the grandkids in town, we visited Springs Preserve, and this time the butterfly habitat was open! What an experience — beautiful butterflies flying all around us, some even landing on us. We were all amazed, especially my two grandsons.
One I recognized was the blue morpho. I had read about its remarkable wings, but seeing that brilliant blue in person was something else. You’d naturally assume the wings contain blue pigment. That shimmering blue is actually produced by microscopic structures interacting with light!
Take a closer look at the handiwork of our Creator:
- Blue without blue pigment. Tiny structures in the wing scales reflect light in a way that reinforces blue wavelengths. Scientists call it structural color. The blue is real—but its source is microscopic architecture! How it works
- A forest of microscopic “Christmas trees.” Under an electron microscope, ridges on the scales reveal branching, layered structures resembling rows of Christmas trees. These structures are roughly a thousandth of a millimeter tall—and their arrangement helps produce that dazzling shimmer. Creation.com article
- Even the brown helps make the blue brilliant. Dark pigment beneath the reflective structures absorbs unwanted light, helping the blue stand out. There’s more going on in those delicate wings than our eyes can possibly see!
- Brilliant blue one moment—camouflaged the next. When the morpho folds its wings, that dazzling blue disappears from view, revealing brown undersides patterned with false eyespots. The same butterfly that catches your eye in flight can become surprisingly difficult to spot at rest!
I took this photo of the Blue Morpho (closed wings) at the Butterfly Habitat
- A butterfly wing can help scientists detect chemicals. Researchers found that different vapors interact with the wing’s nanostructures and change its optical response. That discovery has inspired experimental chemical sensors, with potential applications in industrial monitoring and safety.
- Brilliant color—and cooler surfaces. Researchers developed morpho-inspired colored films that reflect sunlight while releasing heat. In outdoor testing, their blue film was about 47°F cooler than conventional blue car paint. The technology could eventually help cool buildings and vehicles while keeping their vibrant colors.
Men, we went in to enjoy butterflies and came away reminded that even a delicate wing holds God’s wonders that scientists are still studying and learning to imitate.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
Meet Ja’lon, who works at Chicago Best Hot Dogs. Yes, men, you’ve probably figured out by now that I like hot dogs! 🤠 As God would have it, I was the only customer in the place, and when Ja’lon brought my food, we started visiting.
I asked about his life and how long he’d lived in town, etc. As I shared some difficulties I’ve experienced along the way, he began sharing some of his own. What an amazing conversation that opened up!
Then I said, “I have something for you,” and pulled out Steps to Peace with God. As I explained it, Ja’lon became animated and excited. I also shared a little about Are You a Good Person? and gave him a few Million Dollar Bills. He said he would read them all…
Before leaving, I gave him a generous tip, which he gratefully shared with the older Hispanic woman preparing the food. She was delighted and gave me a big thumbs-up!
Men, a hot dog stop became an opportunity to listen, encourage, and share the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Who might God put in your path today?
IN CLOSING, MEN… I JUST HAD TO!
With Ezra and Jude in town, it goes without saying that Gramps had to include a couple of photos! The boys helped me dump the horse manure, and as you can see, the sand pile continues to get plenty of use. 😊 Click on the picture to Enlarge (Just in case you can’t see how cute they are)
But one of the sweetest moments came that afternoon, reading with my five-year-old grandson. We read Rescued from Darkness: Amy Carmichael and the Girls of Dohnavur, written by Tim Challies and illustrated by Rommel Ruiz. It tells how Amy rescued children from temple exploitation in India, cared for them, and introduced them to Jesus.
That opened a wonderful conversation about India and how few people there identify as Christian, only about 2%. I sketched a map, then used our ten fingers to illustrate it: if all ten represented India’s population, Christians would account for only a small part of one little finger. Even at five, he understood how small that was—and why sharing Jesus matters.
Men, as you know, we don’t have to wait until our children and grandchildren are grown to talk about eternal things.
May the good Lord pour His abundant grace upon you!
Dan
Gal 2:20
Men, I’ve found over the years that very few guys truly welcome accountability when the counsel challenges what they want to hear.
“People do not want to be opposed; they wish to be affirmed. Fearful that they may be opposed rather than affirmed, they do not ask.”
Seeking Counsel – Day 298 Red Book
The purpose of these devotionals is to help you think Biblically
Solomon said, “As a man thinks, so is he”
PDF – Send to a brother that needs to consider “The Counsel of Proven Men”
LOOK WHAT THE LORD IS DOING THROUGH FCA!
Men, take a few minutes to read Coach Andy Fetsis’ FCA report below. You’ll be encouraged by what the Lord is doing! Young athletes are coming to faith in Christ, former campers are returning to disciple others, and students, including atheists, Muslims, and Buddhists, are showing up to hear the Gospel. Some of these young leaders spend their Sunday evenings studying God’s Word so they can lead their peers. These young people are worth our attention, our prayers, and our support!
Andy included this hymn, which he regularly sings and prays. Men, read these words slowly. What a reminder of why this ministry — and our own witness — matters!
RESCUE THE PERISHING
Words by Fanny J. Crosby • Music by William H. Doane
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.
Refrain:
Rescue the perishing, care for the dying;
Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.
Listen to “Rescue the Perishing”
The Miracle of Dunkirk
Men, in Britain’s darkest hour, people stood in long lines to pray. Hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers were trapped at Dunkirk, and Britain held a national day of prayer. What followed was an extraordinary deliverance: more than 338,000 soldiers brought home.
Today, prayer can be classified as hate speech with police intervention. What has happened to a nation that once queued to seek God’s help? And what will it take for us to recognize our own desperate need for Him?
Take less than two minutes to watch this. It’s a powerful reminder of the God to whom we pray.
Watch “The Miracle of Dunkirk” — John Anderson and Paul Coleman
1 minute, 47 seconds
TRUE HOLINESS — CAN OTHERS SEE IT?
Men, I read this in the preface to J. C. Ryle’s Holiness and thought I would share it. What a searching reminder that our walk with Christ should be evident to those who know us best:
“When people talk of having received ‘such a blessing’, and of having found ‘the higher life’ … while their families and friends see no improvement and no increased sanctity in their daily tempers and behaviour, immense harm is done to the cause of Christ.
“True holiness, we surely ought to remember, does not consist merely of inward sensations and impressions. It is much more than tears, and sighs, and bodily excitement, and a quickened pulse, and a passionate feeling of attachment to our own favourite preachers and our own religious party, and a readiness to quarrel with everyone who does not agree with us. It is something of ‘the image of Christ’, which can be seen and observed by others in our private life, and habits, and character, and doings
(Rom. 8:29).”— J. C. Ryle, Holiness, Preface
Men, do our families and friends see Christ changing our temper, our words, and our behavior, or do they simply hear us talking about Him?
Men, are we allowing someone else’s wrongdoing to take root as bitterness in our own hearts?
