A Modern Day Parable:

She wasn’t much to look at it normally. The mirror revealed all types of imperfections, and for her there were many. But if ever there were a pretty bride, it was her. It was shocking, really. Most of the time she looked as awful on the outside as a she was on the inside. She was unfaithful and always chose to run after other things and other men rather than after her betrothed. But he wanted her. He set his eyes on her, and he went after her. It took time, but she came around. His love overwhelmed her. His affection for her was magnetic. She was attracted, even mesmerized. Something miraculous happened. The more he loved her, in all of her ugliness and blemished imperfection, the more she became a gorgeous bride. She struggled to feel undeserving. She was unfaithful, a tramp by anyone’s standards. Yet he loved her and took her to be his own, and it changed her.

Sacrificial, unselfish love does that. It takes ugliness and produces splendor. It’s beauty for ashes. The love he displayed for her looked nothing like the love found in most romance novels. He did not tell her false things about herself just to get her in bed. No, he told her the truth. She was filthy and defiled, and he did not hide it from her. But his love had movement. It was action. His love transformed her himself. He forgave her unfaithfulness. He clothed her in beauty. And he did it in a shocking, necessary way. He laid down his life for her, even before she was pretty. He gave himself up for her, even before she became his and his alone. And this miraculous transformation cost him his life. When a perfect groom loves an imperfect bride like he did, something happens to the bride. She can’t possibly stay the same. His perfection becomes hers when he takes her filth with him in death. But this groom was no ordinary groom. Not only did his death produced beauty for his bride, but the groom held power over death. Death could not hold him. He beat it, and he reclaimed his bride. He reunited with his bride and promised never to leave or forsake her. This love, this action, shook the whole earth. When a perfect groom loves an unfaithful, undeserving bride like he did, it changes things.