Cinderella

We've all heard the Walt Disney version of Cinderella. A servant girl living with her evil step sisters and their mother, sneaks off to the ball, loses a slipper, fits the slipper, and then lives happily ever after. But have you ever heard the original version; the story passed down from generation to generation throughout the ENTIRE world? How is it that a beautiful girl with a beautiful name, and probably a beautiful voice, ended up living in such unfortunate circumstances??

The story was first recorded in 1st century BC by the Greek historian, Strabo. His story tells of a servant girl, Rhodopis (the "rosy-cheeked"), who is out washing clothes in an Ormoc stream, a task forced upon her by fellow servants, who have left to go to a function sponsored by the Pharaoh Amasis in order to find himself a wife. At the stream, she leave her sandals on shore and wades into the water in her bare feet. While she is busy washing the clothes, an eagle flies away with her rose-gilded sandal and drops it at the feet of the Pharaoh in the city of Memphis. Taking it as a sign from a god, he asks all of the women of his kingdom to try on the sandal in hopes that the one to whom it belongs will be his wife. Obviously, Rhodopis is a perfect match. They fall in love, marry and rule the kingdom together.

Several more versions of the story appear in "One Thousand and One Nights" (Arabian Nights) including "The Second Shaykh's Story", "The Eldest Lady's Tale" and "Abdallah ibn Fadil and His Brothers", all dealing with the theme of a younger sibling harassed by two jealous elders.

The most popular version, however, was written by Charles Perrault in 1697. His version was the first to introduce the pumpkin carriage, the fairy-godmother, and the glass slippers.

In each of the original versions, however, there is a major difference to the Walt Disney version we are accustomed to.

A long time ago, and far, far away, a prince sought earnestly for a wife fit to be a princess. His father, the king, had agreed that he would not arrange a marriage for his son in hopes that their kingdom would one day be marked by true love. So he arranged a ball. A chance for EVERY woman in his kingdom to dance with the prince. And a chance for the prince to chose a bride from ALL of the women in his kingdom.

Cinderella, meaning 'ash girl' or 'unrecognised', was, as we know, a servant to her step sisters and her step mother. Her father, having died mysteriously, left behind a rather large inheritance for his one and only biological offspring: Cinderella. Originally, however, her name was not Cinderella. No parents in their right mind would name their daughter 'ash girl'. It was not a name, it was a curse. No, the name 'Cinderella' was given to her by her stepmother after her fathers death in the attempt to brain wash the girl. The evil stepmother wanted the inheritance for herself, and so she renamed the girl in order to strip her of her identity; the identity of an heir. She was called 'ash girl' and so she became just that: an ash girl. A servant; forced to sleep by the fireplace in order to attend to the fire throughout the night. She had forgotten her true self, but she was quick to remember her false identity. A lie.

One day, when Cinderella was sorting the mail, she came across a letter that was addressed to all of the women of the household. In some round about way, she decided that she was included in the address, so she read the invitation to a ball.

Her stepsisters had other plans for her, and before she knew it she was busy getting them ready for the dance. And she accepted her fate without complaint. She was, afterall, an ash girl.

In an act of desperation, she left her chores to attend the ball. She washed herself, put on her best dress and slippers, and made her way to the dance she was forbidden to attend.

Once it was her turn to dance with the prince, he was immediately entranced by her beauty and grace. All who were present were entranced by her. Even her stepsisters and stepmother were entranced by this unrecognisable girl. Who was she??

She soon, however, was reminded of her false identity as the clock struck midnight. She needed to go home and finish her chores before the ball ended and her step-family returned! So she ran. Without explaining herself or saying even a word, she turned and ran. The prince, not used to having young women run from him, was confounded. All he had to identify this girl was the slipper she had left behind during her hasty escape. So he went to work.

This is an interesting part. Imagine for a moment that you are Cinderella. You obviously are aware that the prince is going around the country to every household looking for none other than you. He has your slipper and all you have to do to escape from your miserable life is drop your water buckets and run to the town he is currently in to try on the slipper that you know without a doubt fits you. But no. You have accepted you false identity. You believe the lie. You can't be a princess, so why try? Instead, you go about your duties as is routine, and, when your stepmother locks you in the basement upon the prince's arrival, you go without a fight. It is only by some miracle that the prince stumbles upon your presence and recognises your face behind all the dirt and ash. And the slipper fits. You are the one.

Normally, the story ends here. Cinderella and the princeget married and live happily ever after. But that is not the ending of the original story...

When the prince and his new treasure arrive at the castle, she is bathed and clothed as a princess, and sent to stand before the king that he may question her. It is quite apparent that she is not fit to be a princess. Not to mention a queen one day. The king asks, "What is your view on the education of my kingdom?" She had never thought about it. "What do you think about the economy of my kingdom?" She had never thought about it. In fact, herwhole life she had only thought about her situation. She had no finances of her own, why would she worry about the finances of the kingdom? She had no education, why would she be concerned with the educationof others? And so the wedding is postponed until she is fit to rule as a queen. She is sent to royal school in order to learn the way royality. She is sent to re-shape her identity. She is sent to destroy this lie she has believed most of her life and replace it with the identity of a princess. It is only after her graduation that she marries the prince and they become king and queen of the kingdom. Then, and only then, do the live happily ever after.

We are Cinderella. We have been brought up believing a lie from the devil and his demons.

The lie that we are worth nothing.

We could never be good enough,

holy enough,

pure enough,

smart enough,

cool enough,

religious enough,

strong enough.

We could NEVER be His bride.

But we are. And He loves us so much He seeks us out! He gives us a new identity in Him, and He gives us His Word in order that we might learn and grow and develope a relationship with Him. We are His heirs. Let that sink in. Put yourself in Cinderella's slippers again. How would you feel if your true identity was revealed. You finally find unconditional love and this royal identity. How would you feel about that?

Now come back to reality. What you have is way more powerful and REAL than the story of Cinderella! God has spoken, He has chosen you, the slipper fits, and now you're called to grow and learn and develope a relationship with Him so that you can be fit to 'marry' His Son and receive the inheritance He has for us. And yet we sit and do nothing. We accept our false identity of the world and go about our daily routine of serving ourselves or our jobs or our worldly passions.

I'm not saying we need to sell everything and become missionaries (unless that's your calling). I am simply suggesting that we really look at our identity in Christ. To not be so passive in our walk with Him. We have been called to be more than ash girls, so let's drop that identity and actively see God so that our new identity will be what God calls us: His sons and daughters. His heirs.