In a jealous rage the wicked step-sisters pull, rip, and tear at Cinderella’s dress. Their burst of anger slashes not only Cinderella’s dress but her fairytale dreams too. My dream is that Cinderella would pick up her cute mop and sudsy bucket and smack the step-sisters upside the head for a little attitude adjustment. With tattered clothes and a bruised heart, a frazzled Cinderella runs away.
Big, beautiful tears pour from Cinderella’s eyes as she dashes to the garden. In real life, we don’t have a garden ruffled with sweet smelling flowers and fairy godmothers to retreat to when we get upset.
When I cry my face welts up, splotchy red bumps spread across my neck, and my eyes bulge and swell with each passing tear. When Cinderella cries, we don’t see one love handle rolling over her skirt as she collapses in the garden. We don’t see bright red splotchy bumps on her creamy, un-blemished skin either. Nor would we even suspect an eyelash emergency from the sticky mixture of Cover Girl mascara and bubbling tears.
As I read this happily ever after story to my daughter, I feel like Cinderella in this moment. Frightened. Maimed. Alone.
Just like the step-sisters belittle Cinderella by forcefully jerking away her dress and beads, the world can do this to us in the same way. We live in a world full of mean, ugly step-sisters who are waiting to steal our horse-drawn carriage and ride off into the sunset with our man.
Some days, our emotions are yanked from side to side. Our self-respect ripped to shreds. Wrong choices kick us in the knees leaving behind a crippled woman. Bad relationships bruise and wound our hearts for what seems like forever.
Dreams we thought would come true, don’t. Princes who were suppose to gallop across the meadow and whisk us off into the sunset, seem to have misplaced our address.
This is not what God intends. He wants the fairy-tale for us. We don’t live in a fairy-tale world like Cinderella does, but we can experience the truest of fairytales as we fall in love with the One who first loved us--Jesus.
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT).
Even though we may look like a wreck with our ordinary brown shoes, shredded dresses, and smudged Cover-Girl make-up, God sees the sparkling treasure underneath. He loves us in spite of our messy, worn, torn lives. He sees the diamond in the rough. He wants to pluck us out and polish us off. Remember, He loves using unlikely people to glorify himself.
He doesn’t care if we look like Cinderella, walk like her or even sing like her. He has big plans for us. To Him we will always be a story book princess. A princess with a very special purpose!
I love this Kelli. I feel like Cinderella a lot of the time, but the tattered one... I don't claim my princess status near enough. I'm always reminding myself that God has my strength, He has my heart and He has a plan for me. I don't think I'm worth it, but He does and I just keep trying to remember that. Love you!
ReplyDeleteI have never looked at the story in this light. Thank you. There are times when I do feel belittled and there is no where for me to run. I have learned that I can run to God and he will always love me. He is there for me ALWAYS.
ReplyDelete