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Jess was getting on in years when he first heard the children’s folktale about the boy and the butterfly. Right away, he understood the story’s lesson on gaining strength from struggle. In the tale, a boy is given a butterfly cocoon but told not to open it. But as the cocoon slowly twists and shudders in his hand, the boy can’t resist using scissors to split it open so the butterfly inside can escape.

Freed from the struggle, however, the butterfly falls to the ground and dies without ever flying. “What happened?” the boy cries. Jess, after a long life, understood instantly. “The boy prevented the butterfly from using the muscles needed to grow strong and fly.”

The children’s lesson may be a fairy tale, but it affirms the bracing biblical truth taught by Paul to persecuted believers in Jesus in Rome. “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

Paul wasn’t saying to celebrate pain or deny its heartbreak. He confirmed instead that God will use life’s troubles to build our character, growing our hope in Him.

It’s in His strength that God develops our trust in His overcoming power. The butterfly was cheated from growing stronger to fly. But in Christ, we can rejoice as struggles lift us with character to God our deliverer.

This week on Mission Compass, you’ll hear Chris Carr from Global Gates explain how people groups from around the world are coming to our cities and the opportunity we have to spread the Good News worldwide without ever leaving our community. Sam Ebersole from GNA News shares an encouraging report and offers tips on how you can be a smartphone reporter for God’s kingdom.

Why haven't we figured out that phonics are the best way to teach our kids to read? Tune in to The Public Square® today to hear more.

Topic: Education

The Public Square® with host Dave Zanotti

thepublicsquare.com

Air Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Headlines about Iran can feel like a blur of missiles, ministers, and moving targets—until you connect the dots between what leaders believe and what nations do. We dive into how Shiite end-times theology influences Iran’s pursuit of power, why “the great Satan” rhetoric matters for strategy, and how surgical strikes against military and clerical leadership could open a narrow window for change. When ideology prizes escalation, containment looks different—and so do the choices free nations face.

Back home, we unpack a Texas primary night that says a lot about where voters want guardrails. Prop 10’s blowout against Sharia law becomes a pivot point to discuss the deeper role of worldview in public life. We then break down key races across Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas, contrasting a steady voting record with a lack of fight, and a fighter’s zeal with heavy baggage. Add a polished progressive pastor with strong media chops, and you get a masterclass in electability: narrative, competence, and character colliding in real time.

The throughline is power you can use today. Primaries are where leverage lives, with lower turnout and higher impact per vote. We share practical ways to research candidates, compare records, and build simple voter guides for your church and neighborhood. If you want better choices in November, start months earlier—clarify your values, study the field, and bring two friends with you to the polls. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a nudge to vote in the primary, and leave a review telling us which race you’ll track most closely this year.

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It’s easy to dress for the crowd—but what does it mean to be dressed for God? Pastor Jonathan Evans challenges us to consider whether we’re covering ourselves with what’s acceptable to culture or what’s acceptable to the Lord.

The Bible tells stories of great faith long ago—but stories like Hannah’s—and yours are still being written right now.

Even when centuries pass and civilizations rise and fall, God’s Word remains unshaken, proving its timeless truth and power.