This is how it began:
In the middle of a kingdom, in a small cottage, lived Orphan. She had nothing to call her own; she had sold it all to buy acceptance. But when she looked at her acceptance, and then at the acceptance of others, she felt that it was not enough. Others got acceptance from friends, parents, and siblings, but not Orphan. All of Orphan's friends had moved away, her parents were busy, and her sister was too consumed with getting acceptance to ever give any away. Orphan had never felt so alone.
One day as Orphan went about her daily routine she noticed a Man following her. When their eyes met it looked like He would come over to talk to her, and that scared her, so she ran. Yet still, every day, He was there.
Finally she gathered her courage and went over to talk to Him. "Who are you? Why do you follow me?"
He replied, "I am the King. On the day you were born I saw you and was struck with your beauty. I have followed you every day hoping you would let me give you this gift." He held out His hands to her, and in them she saw acceptance in a greater measure than she had ever seen before. She also saw something else; she saw not only acceptance, but also love.
Surely this could not be a free gift, she thought. Hesitantly she asked, "What must I do to earn this?"
"Nothing. All I ask is that you receive it."
Orphan was not sure what to do, but because He was the King, she said yes. That night she lay in bed wondering if such acceptance really was hers. And such love!
Day after day, the King came back with more love and acceptance for her, and slowly Orphan began to fall in love. Finally, the King asked her to marry Him.
Orphan said yes. Her name was changed to Beloved, and never again did she feel the need to buy acceptance, for her Bridegroom always gave her everything she needed.
But as I said, that is how it began. To find out how it ends, turn and talk to the Man behind you. He's been following you for quite some time now...
