Two Snobs For A Crown

 

"Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion" Psalm 103:4

                          

I was new at the church. I knew how important it was to connect with other Christians. Imagine my delight when a woman who had been greeting me warmly week after week invited me to her home. She was refreshingly transparent about her past struggles and what God had done to bring healing to her wounded heart. I reciprocated by sharing some recent struggles that brought about unprecedented spiritual  growth.

My heart exclaimed, " I have found a friend!"

Like the gradual exchange of wee-hour darkness for  morning light, I noticed a nagging change in this new friendship. The questions about where I lived  and my husband's job title seemed harmless at first. She was just gathering facts any person would ask in  getting to know me, right?  But then came the coolness, the slights, and the condescending evaluations of  my clothing. There was even a thinly veiled remark about my body weight in front of a group of women.  Back then,  I had a predisposition that was too eager to give people the benefit of a doubt. "She didn't mean it the way she said it...don't be so touchy," I told myself.  But in short time, the phone calls stopped, and I wondered what I had done to deserve the dumping.

 Months later, I again encountered what I thought to be a new friendship. Warm smiles were a welcome sight in a room full of strangers. Time passed. One day, in an attempt to make conversation, I mentioned that we had  a mutual friend. Then it happened. I had been trained  never to show shock at what comes out of a person's mouth, but this time my eyes would not cooperate. They blinked then bucked,  stunned at what she said.  She was embarrassed that anyone know she even knew me. I tucked the hurt away and put on a brave face.

I tried to shake off those two encounters, but depression set in anyway.  I was surprised how emotionally devastating this felt. I  interviewed myself," Why does this hurt so much?" Ah, it was because the misery had a familiar flavor.  In slide-show fashion, the memories of past  rejection based on superficial things  glided across the screen of my mind.

Enough!

 I didn't want to feel this way anymore. I was shocked to realize the depth of my sorrow was not what the snobs  believed about me.  No, the tragedy was that I agreed with their assessment of my worth.  How sick! I knew it was wrong, but how  to change? I needed to settle this issue once and for all.  I embarked on a biblical journey in search of my identity.  What I found changed my life. Here is a snippet of what I found.  In a voice so tender it could only be His Spirit, God whispered to my heart, 

You are complete in Me (Colossians 2:10).

You are an heir of God and a joint- heir with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17).

I rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).

I have called you by name, you are Mine(Isaiah 43:1).

You were not bought with silver or gold,  you were paid for with royal blood (1Peter 1:18-19).

You are My  masterpiece, created to accomplish something important on God's to-do list (Ephesians 2:10).

I realized I had been picked by the Prince of Peace, but was walking around like a ragged Cinderella! No more! Those truths were Neosporin to my cut- up soul!

But it was not easy to keep those truths in mind. When I asked the Lord to give me a way to remember, He gave me this: a crown. Since I am the daughter of The King, I could imagine a crown on my head. Nobody else could see it, but God said it was there.  I started to walk around aware of it on my head. I started to smile brighter  when I met people, joy began to shine in my eyes, and I walked with my head held high-- not in arrogance, but in gratitude for the validation God gave me. I was worth something to Someone, and it had nothing to do with what I wore, where I lived, or what I had. I had exchanged the opinions of two snobs for a crown.

 I will wear it the rest of my life.

Talk About It: How about you? Are you wearing your crown?