The Story of Cinderella

I'm beginning to understand that having a girl is quite a bit different than having boys. Hattie is two now and instead of cars and race tracks there is chap stick and dolls. Babies and diapers. Skirts and dresses. There is a softness that was brought into our house with her - it has been good for my boys and I to experience. It has made us better.

Recently I took Hattie to Costco and it didn't take her long to find a doll named Cinderella. She looked up at me with those innocent and precious eyes and said, "Buy? Daddy buy?"

There was really no question. I immediately put Cinderella into our cart. In fact, I almost grabbed another one. There was no saying no to those eyes - to those cheeks. It's hard to say no to my little girl.

After we got home I read the box and was reminded about the story of Cinderella. It's an inspiring story - a wicked stepmother and two jealous stepsisters kept Cinderella enslaved and in rags. She stood no chance of attending the royal ball. But when her fairy godmother appeared, she magically transformed Cinderella's reality into a dream come true. Cinderella enchanted the handsome Prince Charming at the ball, but had to face the wrath of her enraged stepmother and sisters when the spell wore off at midnight. 

I believe God has planted a version of this story into each of our hearts. I believe this God-given yearning for something better - our own promised land - is a powerful force in each of our lives and I believe it's the main reason why the Cinderella story has been so successful. It's a story of redemption.

I read a similar story about a Prince who lived not long ago. He came to this land to take for Himself a bride. The problem was the bride He wanted was also enslaved and in rags, just like in the Cinderella story. Like Cinderella, this bride also stood no chance of attending the royal ball with the Prince.

But this was no ordinary Prince.

This Prince had power over the wicked forces which held His bride in chains. After a while the bride fell in love with this Prince, but she couldn't let go of the past. Even though her chains were broken, she still thought like a slave girl and couldn't carry herself with confidence in the presence of this powerful Prince. The subjects of the Kingdom now looked to her as supernatural - as royalty, but she felt too inadequate. Making such a dramatic change from slavery to royalty was just too much for her to take.

The Prince was deeply saddened by this. His bride had access to all he owned - including his heart -  but the Bride could not walk with her head held high in His presence. Like a prisoner released after serving a 40 year sentence, the Bride could not assimilate into the land of freedom.

The Prince was desperate to help His bride, the love of His life. He desperately wanted to take her pain away - her sorrow - her depression - her past - her shame. So, He summoned the elders of the Kingdom and implemented a plan. He would enact an ancient ritual by which His death would multiply His very own Spirit into the one He loved. It was risky. It was powerful. It was love.

I haven't yet finished reading the story of this powerful Prince, for it is a story which continues to unfold to this day. It is a story which is still unraveling - like gigantic waves through the ocean of time. For the Prince went forward with the ritual - and it was far more powerful than anyone ever dreamed.

I will tell my little girl about this Prince. And I will tell her about the real Cinderella. The one who has been clothed in the robes of the Prince. The one who has been given the Spirit of the Prince. The one who is now able to walk with confidence alongside her Prince.

I will tell her of the Cinderella staring back at her in the mirror.