I had the pleasure of viewing Disney’s most recent film, Cinderella, which was tastefully done, yet it was in viewing this film that I definitely had one of those “God-moments”. (Warning what follows does contain spoilers so if you have not yet seen it and want to, look away now!!)
Many of us are familiar with the classic tale: innocent young lady raised by a cruel step-mother and taunted by immature and spoiled step-sisters, yet despite it all, Cinderella maintains her goodness. In the film, we see why: shortly before her early and untimely death, her real mother tells young daughter Ella (Cinderella’s real name) to always, “Have courage and be kind”. Cinderella dutifully obeys despite the harsh treatment of her step-family. Yet, when it came to her step-mother Lady Tremaine’s viciousness, the question on my mind (and I would guess several others’) was why. Why such evil toward someone so innocent? I mean there are frustrations of a blended family (as a former youth pastor having seen it I can respect that), but this went above and beyond the realm of reason. At one point, close to the end of the film, Cinderella bravely asks her that very question point blank, “Why, when I have done nothing to you and nothing to deserve it?” Lady Tremaine answers by proceeding to give a litany of reasons (“I married my first husband for love and that did not work out”, “I married your father but he secretly never stopped loving your mother”, etc) but never once did an apology ever happen.
Not once.
Never once did step-mother own up and take responsibility for her actions or say “I recognize that I am broken, and I transferred that to you and I should not have and I am sorry. Please forgive me.” This is a common characteristic of sin in the lives of broken humanity: always and only blaming others for our flaws.
Yet in this case, something profound is seen. Lady Tremaine hates Cinderella, not for anything Cinderella did, but simply because of who she is. Cinderella, the perfect expression of good, is targeted by evil, and this is an illustration of a truth of the Judeo-Christian worldview. Evil hates good simply because it is good, and evil cannot just co-exist alongside good; it seeks to destroy it. For the disciple, this can be most obviously seen in his crucifixion of Jesus. Evil humanity as a whole encountered perfect goodness and peace, and yet rather than welcome it warmly, we attempted to destroy it because its very existence makes us crazy with madness. I have always held the belief that no matter where Jesus was born, no matter what culture, people, or group, the outcome would have been the same for Him because He was perfect goodness that would not be manipulated or intimidated despite humanity’s best efforts. This should cause us all to be humble and recognize that there is always a temptation to ignore the Master rather than listen patiently to His words, even if they are of gentle rebuke.
Yet, for Cinderella, even after all of the pain, rather than let bitterness set in, rather than lash out in vengeance against her step-mother, indirectly giving her the satisfaction of saying “Ha! at least this proves she is no better than I”, Cinderella maintains her innocence and goodness. What encapsulates this the most is the final encounter between Cinderella and Lady Tremaine. The prince has already come, the glass slipper is shown to fit, and even the step-sisters apologize for their treatment of her. Right as the prince and Cinderella exit her childhood home start their new lives together, she turns and locks eyes with the source of her pain, her step-mother. In a similar fashion, I can imagine while He hung on the cross, Jesus locking eyes with those who mocked and taunted Him.
In Cinderella’s case, when she finally experienced her prince’s love that rescued, freed, and redeemed her, giving her a new identity, she had the strength to lock eyes with evil and simply say, “I forgive you.” And the look in her step-mother’s eyes was a mixture of confusion, befuddlement, desperation, and awe, almost as if she could not comprehend that such pure goodness could exist. Cinderella is free, and Lady Tremaine is now locked in a prison of bitterness, resentment, and lost opportunities. Compare this with Jesus, the Prince of Peace who loves, rescues, frees, and redeems a lost humanity; He knew who He was and so He did not need a new identity, and so having walked so closely with His heavenly Father, had the strength to pray even in His crucifixion and death, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
If the Master has done this, then there is a lesson we as servants can glean, and we can use Cinderella to help us see it. When we forgive, we are freed from bitterness, indignation, rage, and so much more. The strength to forgive and show grace comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ and remembering that when we let Him define us and fill us with His love, His Spirit expels the pain and desire to hold grudges. He not only frees us of the evil, but empowers us with good, focusing our mind on heavenly things.
In forgiving, we glorify God and confuse evil, showing the world the way of the cross is higher than the way of retribution. When we let God judge, we have the freedom to forgive and enjoy an unadulterated relationship with Him. The Scriptures say this, and I am slowly but joyfully experiencing this truth for myself.
Peace friends