Hello everyone:
The story is told of a man on another continent who wanted to get a wife. In his culture, a wife could be purchased from her father for a bride price. Most women “went” for one cow, though some were considered beautiful and were sold to their husband for two cows. It took an especially extraordinary woman who would be sold for three cows.
When the hero of this story went to the father of the woman he desired, he didn’t offer one, two or three cows. He offered fifty. The town was shocked, as was the father of the bride. Not only was his daughter not beautiful, but she was also considered homely. Horribly homely. Beat with an ugly stick. You get the picture.
She had no special talents, gifts, or abilities. She didn’t even seem particularly smart. So why was she worth the bride price of fifty cows? Everyone thought the prospective husband was insane.
Her father agreed immediately. He was happy to get his unattractive daughter off his hands, and the price was too good to pass up. Everyone thought he had made a very good deal. His daughter and the whole village wondered about the intelligence of her future husband.
The day came for their wedding. She married the young man and went home with him. She married the young man and went home with him. Her friends had made such a fuss over her high bride price that the young woman started seeing herself as a beautiful, intelligent, gifted woman. Why would she be worth fifty cows, if she wasn’t?
She became what she thought he thought of her. Her friends eventually saw her as a woman of incomparable worth. Her father began looking at her differently, as well. She became the wife every man desired. She could feel his worth of her, and she went from being rather homely to being the most beautiful woman in the village. She served her husband with grace, joy, and love. She was the Proverbs 31 woman in real life.
When we are tempted to think of ourselves as a one, two, or three cow individuals, we need to remember that we were created by God. He loves us and sees our great worth to Him. Our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. And that is worth more than a mere fifty cows.
Best,
Dr. Sheri