It is a storm born of butterfly wings

What causes hurricanes? Low pressure weather systems are the main cause. Latent heat rising from water evaporation over warm oceans, not dispersed by wind sheer, that rises and begins to turn by the effects of opposite, plummeting cool air. That’s the main cause. But there may be other causes that make the prediction of hurricanes impossible. Causes such as . . . butterflies.

The Butterfly Effect is a phrase given to the idea that small variations in initial conditions of a system produce large variations in the long term behavior of the system. That is, even the smallest actions have exponential, expanding effects in the world.

Edward Lorenz first analyzed the effect in a 1963 paper for the New York Academy of Sciences. A meteorologist remarked that if the theory was correct, one flap of a seagull's wings would be enough to alter the course of the weather. Later speeches and papers by Lorenz used the more poetic term “butterfl y.” In short, the motion of air disturbed by a butterfl y’s wings may contribute, ultimately, just enough force to trigger a hurricane.

And this brings us closer to answering the question that arises from all earthly tragedies—indeed, which inspires so much Christian ministry—“What can just one person do?” The answer is The Human Butterfl y Effect. That is: Every present moment is connected with some future one.

The life of every person is a continual chain of incidents, each link of which hangs upon the former. The transition from cause to effect, from event to event, is often carried on by secret steps, which our foresight cannot divine, nor our wisdom discern. The same can be said of human society. Its course is a continual chain of incidents, each incident affecting the next, but in ever increasing, expanding effects.

Take, for instance, the miracle recorded in all four Gospels, the Feeding of the 5000. Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor, in one her sermons, The Problem With Miracles, writes: “Some of the crowd must have laughed out loud (as Jesus took the little boy’s offering of loaves and fish). But I wonder if some of them were not touched, too—by the way the little boy handed over all he had. I wonder if they did not look at the small basket of food going around, and then feel the food that was hidden in their own pockets begin to burn holes in them. Because you know they had some—a bit of lamb wrapped in a grape leaf, a few raisins, a chunk of bread left over from breakfast. But it would not have been enough to share, so they kept it hidden, waiting for an opportunity to go for a walk and sneak a bite.

But then the basket came around, full of scraps, everyone so careful not to break off too much, everyone wanting Jesus’ crazy idea to work so much that, very secretly, they all began to put their own bread in the basket, reaching in as if they were taking some out, but leaving some behind instead, so that the meal grew and grew. Is this not a miracle!” It is! It’s the Butterfly Effect—small wings of love and generosity generating a gale of compassion!

Hurricanes leave behind in their wake destruction, sorrow and loss. But there is another storm upon the face of the earth. It is a storm born of butterfly wings—the countless acts of individuals like yourself—acts that generate the goodness and best in others—acts of courage and kindness, gentleness and generosity, that will sweep the earth and leave behind their own wake of healing and peace and glory.