I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:18, NIV
In an instant, my brain deciphered what my eyes saw and delivered this conclusion: “You have not dressed appropriately for the occasion.”* Had the ground under me parted, it would have saved me from embarrassment. Alas, the ground did not part, so a plan B formed in my mind: “I will run back to the hotel and change what I’m wearing.” Before I could move, however, another woman appeared and wrapped my hips with a tupenu, which fully covered my shorts and legs. I was pronounced fit to participate in the march through town. The sense of relief was short-lived. First, as I walked, the fabric loosened, and I needed to keep adjusting the cloth, so it didn’t unwrap completely. Second, when we arrived at the destination, the royal palace, I was among those asked to sit next to the queen of Tonga. Yes, you read that correctly. I was asked to sit next to Nanasipau’u, the queen of Tonga! A real queen—with all the pomp and protocol that go along with royalty. As I sat next to her and observed the event, I reflected.
An immediate lesson emerged: it is much better to be overdressed than underdressed. Deeper reflections occurred to me later. I have said and done things in my life that have made me appear less than who I am. Who am I? I am a daughter of His Excellency and Majesty, the Most High King. Jesus came so I can have abundant life (John 10:10). If I don’t believe this, I act in foolish ways, and I treat others the same. They, too, are His children and deserve the best.
I have no doubt that the queen of Tonga was perfectly aware that I was not dressed in clothes that fit the occasion. But because she knew who she was and how she deserved to be treated, she extended the same grace and love to me, regardless of the clothes I wore. Similarly, God knows that by myself, I will never be dressed well enough to be fit to sit next to Him, so He, like the woman who gave me cloth, provided through Jesus my robe of righteousness.
May God’s love for you as His daughter help you love yourself and others as royalty!
Danijela Schubert lives in Sydney, Australia, where she works in the South Pacific Division caring for women in pastoral ministry. Originally from Croatia, she lived, studied, and worked in France, the Philippines, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, and Australia
Color My World With Love:© 202 Pacific Press Publishing Association