I Don't Have to Prove a Thing...

"Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

I hate Rapunzel. How the heck did that witch get her into the tower in the first place? If there are no stairs... And in the version I was taught it was never clear how she got rescued. Sure, she could get the prince up into the tower with her hair, but how did she get out? 

I'm pretty sure of one thing. I doubt personal hygine was high on the witch's list. Rapunzel's bathroom was probably nothing more than a pot in the room. I doubt she bathed often...if at all. Her long hair was probably greasy and snarled, full of split ends and who knows what else...and that's before we add in the dirt and grease from the witch climbing up and down it. 

Back in June 2007, my friend, Sarah, sent me a message on Facebook. We were talking about fooling ourselves and others into thinking we had ourselves together and we were fine...even if we weren't. 

i love how in the bible, the people who everyone looks down upon, who don't really seem to have it together...who don't really have their own purpose or stubborn agenda for who they want to be...those are the people who Jesus didn't get angry at. He didn't tell the woman crawling towards him to touch His robe to get herself together first, to stand up and pretend like she knew exactly what she wanted God to give to her. She was virtually pride-less and God was able to fill her much more with Him because there was so little left of her.

Can you imagine if the story of Rapunzel went something like this?

"Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

"I can't! My hair is a mess!"

"But, Rapunzel! I want to rescue you!"

"Please wait! I look awful. Let me try to clean up first. You can save me later."

Rapunzel isn't the hero of this story. The prince is. I'm sure we'd accept the prince fixing his hair and trying to look his best before he climbs up Rapunzel's hair to rescue her. He's the hero. Rapunzel is not.

But, sometimes, I think I find myself trying to fix myself up to be rescued. I'll try to handle things on my own or act like I'm strong before I go to get help. But I shouldn't have to do that. I'm not the one who should be trying to impress anybody. I'm the one who is broken. I'm the one who is filthy and dirty and in need of a Savior. 

I am not the hero in this story.

"And I am learning to believe

That I don't have to prove a thing

'Cause You're the one who's saving me"

-Josh Wilson ("Savior Please")

Love,

Lissa Kristine