RandomPokesCinderella SurpriseSteve Dennie
The woman in the foreground, obviously the mother, wore a billowing dress large enough to shelter the Goodyear blimp. Everything about her said, "I'm the boss and you're a nothing."
Behind her, standing side-by-side, were two daughters--Miss Obnoxious and Miss Snob. Each one's pale face featured a large, prominent mole. Their fancy dresses showed less restraint than the royal wedding, and much less taste. I could picture either one, upon being introduced to someone of my social status, wrinkling her nose and saying, "I find you wretched peons most revolting!"
And then there was the fourth person. She wore a plain, tattered dress and seemed much younger than the others. While her spoiled sisters gabbed and hallucinated about their imagined beauty, this humble girl stood in the background quietly sweeping around the fireplace with a broom.
My heroine!
I've always had a weakness for Cinderella movies. Don't ask me why. I couldn't care less about Goldilocks, Snow White, or the Three Little Pigs. But something about the Cinderella story snares my attention every time.
Maybe it's the happy-ending, justice-prevails, rags-to-riches theme. I hope my attitude toward the sisters and mother isn't unChristian, but I do enjoy seeing their stunned expressions when the downtrodden Cinderella slides her foot into the glass slipper and rides off with the handsome prince. Suddenly, the lowly ember girl is the queen-to-be!
Surprise!
The sisters and mother act proud and complimentary, but inside they're filled with dread, thinking, "Now we've had it!"
It's like the story of Joseph. His brothers--Simeon, Judah, and the others--catch a severe case of sibling rivalry and sell their show-off kid brother to slave traders. The next thing they know, little Joey is Pharoah's sidekick.
Surprise!
I have a feeling that heaven will be full of Cinderella surprises. Some of the Christians we ignore on earth will stroll along those golden streets wearing hefty crowns.
When I meet a talented Christian, I'm likely to think, "He sure has a lot to offer the Lord." With gifted and dynamic unbelievers, I sometimes dream, "If only he were a Christian--he would be such an asset to the Kingdom."
Then there are other people--poor, uneducated, unattractive, untalented--whom I never really notice. But some of these people with little to "offer" are the most spiritual, dedicated Christians around. It's a matter of judging people by all the wrong criteria.
Maybe a person can't quote lengthy Scripture passages and retell all the familiar Bible stories. Maybe he hasn't read books by Chuck Swindoll or Billy Graham. Maybe he hasn't heard of Campus Crusade or Prison Fellowship. So what? Find out where his heart is, and you discover what God thinks of him. And only God's opinion really counts.
I profit greatly from the writings and messages of famous Christians. Some of them carry worldwide reputations and influence millions of lives. They are deeply spiritual men.
But I wonder--who will wear the largest crown in heaven?
I halfway expect it to be worn by a poor Cambodian rice farmer who, in his simplicity, has learned the secret of intimate communion with the Father.
Or a starving Somali refugee Christian totally content with a dismal present and no future.
Or a widow struggling to raise seven children by herself in Harlem.
Or a forgotten Chinese Christian locked away in a Himalayan labor camp.
Or a half-naked tribesman in the jungles of Brazil who was reached by some nameless missionary.
If I stood next to any of these persons, you might see two very different people--one well-versed in the ways of American churchdom and blessed with talents valued by pastors, the other with much to learn and little to contribute.
But God would look past all the fancy garments and examine the heart. In His eyes, that other person would be a beautiful, charming Cinderella. In comparison, I--and perhaps you--would be a pale-faced, conceited sister with a bunch of moles.
Copyright 2005 Steve Dennie |
