A Tale of True Love and 10 Cows

"The Lord does not look at the things people look at.  

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

I Samuel 16:7

Hi there!  So glad you could "stop by" my blog today!  Hope this little story and application puts a smile on your face and heart! 

I've loved this little tale from the first time I heard it told years ago, till just the other day when I was reminded of it again!  It's so rich in truth about worth and I wanted to share it with you today!

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The legend goes something like this...Once many years ago on some islands far away there was a custom.  The custom was that, a suitor had to pay for the right of asking his beloved's hand in marriage by giving her father cattle.  Most young women of marrying age would equal two, maybe three cows.  If the daughter was a very special catch, she might fetch four cows. (Lol!  It makes me laugh typing this! Ehem. Ok back to the tale...) It was rumored that one father in the distant past received an unfathomable FIVE cows for his amazingly gorgeous and charming daughter.  Well, as the tale goes - there was another father named Sam who had two daughters and he faced a serious dilemma.  No one on the islands considered his older daughter beautiful.  He was aware that she was shy and had rather plain features and that these two factors didn't really give much hope of a proposal.  He had settled in his mind that he would probably not be given even 3 cows for her.  Two might be more like it.  In fact, he decided that if a man came a calling on her and treated her well, he would just let her marry without receiving any cows.  At least he felt confident that his other younger daughter would bring a good number of cows, everyone agreed that she was worth 3!  

One day, a wealthy landowner named Johnny, came to pay Sam a visit. Everyone knew that Johnny was ready to settle down and assumed he was coming to propose to Sam's younger daughter - the one everyone considered a catch.  But to the utter surprise (pun intended! Lol!) of the whole town and to the Father's delight, Johnny came a callin' for the older daughter!  It was more than Sam could've hoped for!  "I may get 3 cows after all!" he thought to himself.  Then he let his imagination get the best of him and thought that maybe since this was a wealthy businessman - he'd end up getting 4 cows!!!  Well, you can image Sam's shock when Johnny brought him not 3, not 4, not even 5, but TEN cows for his daughter's hand in marriage!  

And so it was that Johnny swept up his bride into his arms and the happy couple went off to their honeymoon and were gone a year.  When they returned back to the town, the villagers were amazed at the difference in the young wife's presence!  They hardly recognized her.  She was strikingly beautiful, graceful, poised, confident, and self-assured.  Everyone one concluded that Johnny actually got off with a bargain by only giving 10 cows away for this bride!

It was clear that Johnny had viewed Sam's older daughter very different than the town folk and even differently than her own father.  He saw beyond her outward appearance and recognized the beauty of her heart and character.  The value he placed on her true beauty helped her realize her true worth!  

The moment that Johnny gave up 10 cows for her - she became more than a "10 cow" wife.

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I know that it's kind of a strange story and life worth should never be valued by earthly goods, but there is a rich concept here that is so incredible!

You probably are thinking of many applications for this already and I wish I could hear your thoughts on it, but for now I'll share a couple of mine to sum up this post! Email me some of yours - I'd love to hear from you!

1)  It's SOOOOOOO important to live life knowing your worth!  I struggle in this area.  Sometimes I feel like a "10" and other times I sure don't. Today was a "I sure don't" day. But feelings aren't the truth here are they?!  Nope!  No matter how you feel about your worth - it doesn't change that you are more than a 10!  That's how God made you!!!  I mean - the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE MAAAAADDDDE YOOOOOOU!!!!  Um.  That's a "3 cow" blower right there already! Lol!  But seriously!  He is like the wealthy Johnny in this story but even WAY BETTER - He owns EVERYTHING and is the AUTHOR AND CREATOR of the most valuable wealth - character AND all material wealth too!  Scripture says that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills! (which I find just way too awesome thinking of that verse after reading this story!!! :)  And guess what?  HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON JESUS CHRIST UP FOR YOU!!!! He "skipped" the whole cattle thing and because of His love - gave up what was most precious for you.  A sacrifice of all sacrifices to provide you with an ETERNAL INHERITANCE - available to you by simply BELIEVING and confessing/claiming what He did for you!  Wow!  What a true love story of all true love stories!!!  A year long honeymoon might sound like bliss here on earth- but that's got nothing on HEAVEN!!!!! ;) ;) ;)  I could go on more because there's so much application from this story, but I guess I'll get on to the next point I wanted to share and let you think up more from your heart!

2) It's SOOOOOOO crucial in relationships to invest though words, actions, thoughts, prayers, gifts etc. the other person's worth!!!!!  It's truly a critical ingredient!  We all want to be loved and to know that we are valued!  Love your loved ones friends!  Show them how much they mean to God and to you!  It's an aspect of life designed by God that is being neglected so tragically these days.  Be the one whose generations live with this as a passion in life because you did!

“O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:1-18‬ ‭

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:31-32, 35-39‬ ‭

Blessings to you loved one of God!  Know you are cherished, live in confidence and share the gifts of the worth of life that is God's design!!!!

~Bri :)