A Tale of Three Brides

A Tale of Three Brides
(***I did not write this story--- all the credit goes to my Teen Virtue magazine.***)

This story has always captivated me from a young age and it makes sense for all ages.  I thought of what my first post would be about and I immediately thought of this story.  I also wanted to say that this story, this blog--- is meant for everybody.  Girls, guys. Single people and married people.  Everybody still has temptations. Doesn't matter if your married or not.  Enjoy!

A Tale of Three Brides

Once upon a time, there were three brides.  Each bride had been given a large, beautifully wrapped gift with a silver ribbon when they were just little girls. Each gift came with the same tag that read:

Precious Daughter,

Do not open until your wedding night. This gift is meant to be shared with your husband. 

Love, God

Well, I wish I could tell you that all three brides heeded the instructions. One bride opened her gift long before she met her husband. In fact, she shared “the gift” over and over again, sometimes with guys she hardly even knew! When it came time for her wedding night, she didn’t even bother to take the gift with her. 

What did it matter anyway? She thought. It had ceased to be a gift the day she opened it.  Besides, she had seen the unwrapped box in the back of her closet not long ago, and it was tattered and worn.  Certainly, not something fit to take on your wedding night.  

But to her shock, her husband brought his gift along and presented it on their wedding night. It looked like that gift tossed in the back of her closet. She explained that she didn’t bother to bring her gift because it was so old and secondhand. Regardless, they agreed to open his gift as the instructions had said on the box, even though they had not waited.  The beautiful wrapping had long since been ripped off, and the bow was gone. The box was bent, torn, and falling apart. When they removed the lid and peered inside, they were confused. The bride spoke first and said, I don’t get it—what’s so special about this gift?” then they both sat there in silence. The bride wondered to herself why the box was so used.  Has he taken the gift and shared it with others? She wondered. The thought was certainly unsettling, but the thought that followed sent a chill up her spine.  What would keep him from sharing the gift with others in the future if he had already done so in the past? Didn’t this gift belong exclusively to her, now? 

 At the same time her husband was deep in thought, wondering why she had left her gift behind and shrugged it off so easily. I mean, sure, we may not have followed the directions with our gifts, but couldn’t it still be special? And then he wondered how many men she had shared the gift with over the years—the gift that was meant to be his exclusively. The thought certainly left him feeling insecure about the future. His thoughts continued.  Why did we build up so much excitement over the wedding and the honeymoon in the first place? I mean, we’ve already shared a bed and many of the things that married people share. What’s so special about a wedding and a honeymoon?  And then they both found themselves thinking, maybe this is the very reason we were supposed to wait to open the gift, but it was too late. 

The second bride also unwrapped her gift early, but she experienced great regret. So she made a vow to take better care of the gift and save it for her wedding night, just as the directions said.  When it came time for her wedding night, she presented the gift to her husband, and he presented his to her.  His gift was brand-new, and she felt a pang of conviction that she could not offer him the same in return. Even thought she regretted her mistake, she was grateful that her gift had never been shared with her husband until this moment. While it would not be as special as God intended, it was still special.

 

The third bride had heeded the instructions that came with her gift. She treated it with loving care knowing that it was a gift from God.  Her husband also saved his gift for the wedding night, though at times he had been tempted to open the gift early. On their wedding night they had no regrets. Each one felt respected and honored that so great a gift had been saved for the other.  After their wedding night, they felt secure in their relationship knowing that if someone can trust God and believe him at his word, they will likely do so in the future. And with that thought, they both felt great pity for their many friends who had opened their gifts early.

What about you? Which bride will you be? 

Comment, like, share, and question. :)  I love hearing feedback!  What's something you guys would like me blog about? 
Love, KayLeigh   ~SoS 8:4