Thoughts on Discipleship by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

CINDERELLA AND THE LORD’S BRIDE

“Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.” Prov. 31:29

Is there anyone, especially in the English speaking world, who is not well versed in the classic fairytale of Cinderella? Here are the highlights: her mother had died; her father remarried a mean woman with two ugly daughters who received all of her attention and gifts. Cinderella must work hard, and had little more than rags for clothing, but in them she was beautiful. However, at the king’s ball, Cinderella was magically prepared for a meeting with the prince of the kingdom. Then departing at the midnight hour, she lost one glass slipper. The love that the prince felt for her led to a search of the kingdom to find her by a perfect fit of the slipper. Of course, only Cinderella could be a perfect fit for the slipper, although others including her ugly, mean stepsisters tried in vain. Thus was Cinderella united with the prince of the kingdom and lived happily ever after.

Perhaps this analogy is a little crude, but the Prince of the Kingdom of the Heavens has a bride. Currently it is subjected to a world with evil as its god. It has not been treated well during the age, but there is a marriage supper coming. Many who have supplanted themselves as the bride cannot and will not be accepted simply because they do not fit the criteria of the Prince. That criterion is not the awesome edifices of towers and stained glass or of systems by which men act religiously within their own sinful creations. His bride will fit the marvelous slipper of His bridal creation, and succession, tenaciously holding to the faith once delivered to the saints, and trench work of carrying out the Great Commission. She shall thus be gloriously accepted, and shown to be just who she really is as she rules and reigns with the Prince of the Universe, her creator and glorious Savior and King.

It seems inescapably logical then that the most important thing anyone can do with his time on earth is to search out that criteria, know it, and put his life into it by consistently yielding to the leadership of the Holy Spirit as presented in the Holy Word. It is never the will of men that shall be accepted, as so vividly underscored in Matthew 7:21-23. Rather, it is the stated will of God alone that shall be accepted. The good news is that His acceptable will for men may be grasped and employed by everyone while it is called “Today.” But, everyone must be wise enough to know that “Today” is coming to an end, and sooner for some than others. What on earth could be more worthy than this for one’s time and energies??? What??? . . . What???

FOR THOUGHT: Does the analogy drawn here make sense to you? Are you preparing yourself to be a part of the glorious bride of Christ through obedience to the faith once delivered to the saints? Can you read the analogy without identifying with Cinderella?