Cinderella: Fairy Tale or Reality?

I settled into my flight home from England where I had been visiting my daughter, Heather and her British husband Luke, anxious to view the movies available. I was delighted to see the Disney remake of Cinderella as one of the choices. (Watch this powerful Cinderella movie trailer.)

Childhood Cinderella Dreams

I’ve loved the story since I was a child. I dreamed of being Cinderella, all dressed up for the Prince’s ball, magically transported by a pumpkin for a coach, and animals for footmen. I daydreamed about the moment I would arrive, beautiful, mysterious, and expectant for the prince’s greeting. I heard the gasp of the crowd as the murmur went through wondering, “Who is this woman? Where did she come from? Who is her family?”

I envisioned myself stepping forward to greet the enchanted prince. He took my hand and invited me to dance. I accepted and we began to waltz across the exquisite ballroom, both our hearts beating rapidly as we reveled in the gift of finding one another.

What I liked to ignore as a child were the events leading up to the ball and the heartbreak for both Cinderella and the Prince as the bells of the clock began to strike– one, two, three, four and . . . Cinderella knew she had to flee or she would be found out in her identity as Cinder— her nickname because she slept by the fire at night, cold, alone and hungry.

Cinderella’s Faded Dreams

As an adult, I could no longer ignore the reality of Cinderella’s life because it became my reality.

I grew up with a father who loved me, however, the lies of my enemy continued to convince me that I was a poor orphan who deserved to sleep on a hard cold floor, to be ignored and taunted by those around me, and to wear old rags instead of beautiful dresses. (Video of the Orphan Girl)

I may have looked good on the outside, but inside, my heart was dying.

My dreams of living loved and significant died a little more each day.

Being Rescued by the King

However, the ember of hope didn’t fully die out before my King came to rescue me. He invited me to know him not just as Savior, but also as King who would revive me and take me into the palace to live as his queen.

Cinderella knew the love of her father, he adored her and she adored him. They grieved the death of their wife and mother, filling their empty heart with love for one another. Cinderella trusted her father to bring another mother into the home who would care for her as her own. Her father did his best to do this, but he was tricked by his new wife. She only had eyes for advancing her own stature and marrying her daughter’s off well. She saw Cinderella as an obstacle for both her goals.

Our Heavenly Father adores his children. He only wants the best for us. Unlike Cinderella’s earthly father, he is always working to bring about our best. However, he had to honor the choice Adam and Eve made to turn away from him and to invite God’s enemy into the world. Like Cinderella’s father, they were duped, believing that what their enemy offered them was good and would make their life more fulfilling. Instead, their idyllic home in the garden became filled with shame and the tragedy of broken relationship: with God and one another. Identify your Shame Life Stealers.

Adam and Eve began to bite more and more on the lie that they were orphans, destined to wear ragged clothes and sleep on hard cold floors, because this is all they deserved.

All the while, however, their true father, the one who delighted in them, was working to bring them a King who would invite them back into the palace.

His name was Jesus. He came to rescue all the Adam and Eve’s and Cinderella’s of the world out of their dark, dreary existence, and to take them back into the true palace where they belonged.

Colossians 1:12-13 states:

“Our hearts soar with gratitude when we think of how Father God made us worthy to receive the glorious inheritance freely given to us. This is what every holy believer is qualified to experience by living in the light. He has rescued us completely from the tyrannical rule of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom-realm of his Beloved Son.” (The Passion Translation).

Our reality is that even though the liar and thief continues to try to convince me that I belong in the orphanage as one forgotten, my true status is as King Jesus’ beloved Queen.

He held a ball, inviting me to dance as our hearts beat together. When I got scared and tried to run and hide, he came after me and found me. He wooed me and took me home to live in his kingdom, where he continues to ask me the question, “What do you want, my Queen, up to half my Kingdom?” (Esther)

Cinderella’s True Identity

When I believed I belonged in the tyrannical rule of darkness, my glimmer of hope came from the story of Cinderella. Even though her circumstances completely shifted after her father’s death, she never forgot her true identity as his beloved daughter. She held on to her dreams that she was meant to live as royalty.

She knew that one day her prince would come to rescue her.

She never accepted her evil step-mother’s lies or her step-sister’s taunts that she was meant for destitution or isolation. She continued to live as royalty, even when everyone around her made fun of her stance, even forgiving her enemies over and over.

So, this story ends at a crossroads. My question to you is: which story will you live?

Your King awaits your answer.

Will you accept his invitation to the ball?

Will you accept the supernatural provision of a beautiful new dress purchased for you by his sacrifice?

Will you allow him to rescue you from the tyrannical rule of darkness and take you into his kingdom of light where he will spend the rest of eternity showering you with his love and devotion?

Cinderella knew her identity and that she was always meant for more. Do you?

The King’s invitation awaits. Will you accept?