August 6, 2023

Revelation 19: 7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.” (NIV)

Christians should be the kindest, most considerate and courteous people in the world.*

My favorite part of a wedding is seeing the look on the groom’s face as he watches his beautiful bride coming down the aisle toward him. Of course she is not flawless and chances are he knows that about her but at that moment he only sees his perfect bride. If only that moment could last a lifetime!

Now picture the wedding of the Lamb. His bride is not perfect either, but he loves her anyway. He loves her so much that he died to make it possible for her to come to him flawless. Unlike the bride in her gown and veil, the church’s imperfections aren’t just camouflaged – they are washed clean.

Unfortunately, the world doesn’t see the church through the loving eyes of the groom. This verse refers to the bride’s preparations - and it’s as if these preparations are all that the world sees. They see her before the dress is altered to fit; before the trip to the hairdresser; during her Bridezilla moments. They see our messiness, our hypocrisy, our lack of compassion, and our judgmental attitudes. They don’t understand that preparing for the wedding is a process.

It is our job, as the church – the bride – to introduce the world to our groom and his unconditional love by the way we demonstrate our love for them. We are living proof that we don’t have to be perfect to be loved. 

The way to change the world is to give it a better story.*