Genesis 1
In the beginning, butterflies are only a gleam in God’s eyes. God’s Spirit flutters over the waters of chaos. God determines to create order.
Day 1: Not that God cannot see, but the creatures about to come into existence will need light. God coaxes the light out of the darkness and separates them into day and night.
“Ah, good! I can’t wait to create butterflies, but I have work to do first.”
Day 2: Not all of God’s creatures, especially butterflies, will want to live in the water, especially the waters of chaos. God creates a vault, a dome, between the waters above and the waters below.
“Ah, good! Now the butterflies will have a space to spread their wings.”
Day 3: But non-water creatures need something to stand on, not to swim in, so God separates the water into seas, apart from the dry ground.
“Ah, good. Now the butterflies will have a place to rest.”
Then comes the beginning of life, vegetation first—the seed-bearing plants and trees to bear fruit.
“Ah, good. Butterflies and others will need food.”
Day 4: Two great lights fill the sky, but not together. They determine day and night, as well as the sacred times. With a flick of the wrist, God scatters the stars, tiny lights, into the dome. Slits in the dome let rain fall from the waters above. “Ah, good. Now my creatures will know the seasons. Butterflies will know when to fly south and when to return north.”
Day 5: The fun begins. God starts with water creatures, from the microscopic amoeba to the giant blue whale, God’s biggest creation. God creates them in pairs so they can be fruitful and multiply, in a variety of families we would call species. Then come butterflies, birds and other winged creatures to roam about in the sky.
And God smiles. “Ah, good. Finally, I have butterflies. Aren’t you beautiful? And so many different colors and sizes?”
Day 6: The next effort brings forth the land animals: livestock and wild animals. God hesitates. “No, I have one more job. Butterflies and all my other creatures need someone to admire them and take care of all of them.”
God’s final creation culminates in human beings, male and female, special creatures, made in the image of God to appreciate all God has accomplished.
God gives instructions for these last creatures. They are to treasure the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, the livestock and the wild animals. And to all of God’s creatures, to all of God’s families: butterflies, humans, animals, birds in the sky, and those living on the ground—God gives them for food all the green plants: all the seed-bearing plants and the trees.
God stretches out a hand, and on it lands a Monarch butterfly. God leans forward and gently touches an antenna. Raising the other arm in joy, a whisper escapes. “Ah, very good.”
Day 7: God rests, observing all of Creation. The butterflies flutter around the two special creatures, who smile at them. Good. They will treasure the butterflies. God laughs at the dolphins jumping in the ocean, the otters playing in the river, the koala bears chewing the eucalyptus leaves, the monkeys swinging in the branches, the dogs chasing their tails, the zebras romping with the lions, the bears cuddling with the lambs, and two-legged caretakers teaching the wolves to fetch.
And God smiles.