To the Victor, go the spoils.

Written by On Thursday, 16 January 2014 10:19

How do people fall in love? The little girl asked.

Well, one falls in love and the other calculates.

Always?

Always.

Not always...Cinderella and the Prince fell in love.

I’m afraid not, Q... but can you guess who did and who didn’t?

Cinderella fell in love. No. Wait. The Prince. The Prince fell in love.

You are a clever girl, Q.

But how?

Well, her step mother taught Cinderella how to orchestrate it.

Orchestrate?

Yeah. Orchestrate. It means to choreograph, to stage-manage, to plan.

But her step mother was evil, wasn’t she?

Yes indeed. A deceptive woman. Evil-genius. She knew how to orchestrate situations and manipulate people.

But why?

Well, her step mother pitied Cinderella. Cinderella had lost her own mother and her father was gone perhaps never to return. She wanted Cinderella to marry well but the poor girl was as wild as a weed.

But how?

Well, every prince needs a cause to fight for, a war to wage, hope to drive him and loot to bring home. The prince had no cause, no war, no reason to hope and more treasure and riches than his palace could hold. Not even his father, the King, could give him any of these things that he so desperately needed. By Cinderella’s evil-step-mother’s calculations, Cinderella was the answer to the Prince’s woes.

Cinderella was a cause?

Well, she had to appear poor and helpless. That was the cause.

Wasn’t she poor?

Of course not. She had a chariot and lovely clothes and impractical glass slippers.

So the Prince knew that she wasn’t poor?

They told him a fairy-godmother brought her the clothes. And a pumpkin had turned into a chariot.

And the mice had become horses. That’s silly. And he believed it?

A prince needs a cause. He could have believed anything.

How about the war?

That’s where her step-sisters came in. They made it difficult for the prince to reach Cinderella. Cinderella had to seem inaccessible and out of the prince’s reach.

Like a challenge?

You’re a clever girl, Q. Yes, a challenge. That’s why Cinderella could only attend one of the Prince’s Balls.

How many balls did the prince have?

Three.

So how could the prince see her again?

She gave him hope.

She left him one glass slipper. Hope to drive him.

You’re a clever girl. What was the loot?

Cinderella was the bounty.

She was his buried treasure. His exotic fortune to bring home. Beautiful in his eyes.

To the victor, go the spoils.

What would you rather Q? To be a victor or to orchestrate a victory? To fall in love or to stage manage?

Oh I’d rather fall in love. Who can control everything? When would I find the time to live?

You’re a clever girl, Q. Don't try control everything. Live. Work. Love. Let the Almighty orchestrate.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

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