Butterflies and buzzards 3 - Heather Hahn

Lesson Summary

During the class, Heather Hahn examined the contrast between being a supportive "butterfly" and a destructive "buzzard" in Christian relationships. She recounted a vivid illustration involving a church member who created a large mural for Vacation Bible School, only to be harshly criticized by an elder's wife for a minor historical error. The criticism caused the artist to feel devalued and withdraw from church activities for years, highlighting how a single negative comment can outweigh many positives. Hahn then anchored the discussion in Scripture, referencing Romans 15:1, 1 Peter 3:15, Proverbs 27:17, and other passages that command believers to bear with the weak, correct with gentleness, and sharpen one another. She connected these principles to biblical examples of conflict and reconciliation, such as Paul and Barnabas’s disagreement over John Mark (Acts 15:36), Paul’s confrontation with Peter (Galatians 2:11), and the eventual restoration of those relationships (2 Timothy 4:11, 2 Peter 3:15). The central message affirmed that even the apostles faced disagreements, yet they modelled forgiveness and encouragement, urging the class to adopt a posture of grace in all interpersonal interactions.

Key Scriptures