OH, MR DARCY !!!!!!

I just finished watching "Pride and Prejudice"-----BBC series----six of them-telling the wonderful story--and closely following the book.  OH how I dislike Mr. Darcy in those early days! He gives new meaning to SNOTTY!  Condescending--self-righteous--bigoted--a long list of haughty adjectives can be used to describe his demeanor.  His manners come across as a vulgar display of superiority.  NO ONE can be quite as nose in the air as the Brits!

Then the story begins to unfold---and --SHOCK--we discover Mr. Darcy has a heart.  His early attempts at winning Lizzy are a icy declaration filled with contempt for his stooping emotionally by becoming enthralled with her--with roots in a lower caste.  Ever so slowly we are lead down the path to discover a softer side of the contemptuous Mr. Darcy.  A Knight to the Rescue while maintaining anonymity is eventually revealed. A loving brother protecting and cherishing a younger sister who has been left in his charge by the loss of their parents brings us to find him not so repelling.  Finally every girl's dream of the frog turning into Prince Charming precipitates at long last an alliance between the two  and thus beautifully ends the tale.

ONE QUESTION---WHERE IS MY MR. DARCY????

I pray that God will take away the desire for a Mr. Darcy and that I will be content in His company only.  We are created to be in relationships and the need to share life with another is extremely strong.  Through the circumstances of life, many of us find ourselves alone--and with only one arm filling a two armed jacket.  It can be difficult to be alone--but I ask daily for His perfect love to fill any other void.

We girls all want a Mr. Darcy in our life.  We want to be Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman" (without practicing her occupation).  We want Prince Charming to come riding in to rescue us from this world.  We have been lead to believe that we are all entitled to Mr. Darcy.  We take on the same superior, self-righteous attitude of entitlement which we hated in Mr. Darcy.  The truth is--there are not many Handsome and Gallant Princes out there and we are not the beautiful princess of untarnished and pure virtue.

Yes--we live in a fallen world.  None of us can live up to the expectations we have been spoon fed by fiction.  There is only ONE perfect love---and I am not discounting the fact that you are or have been in a wonderful relationship--but the only perfect love comes from above.  For this love accepts us warts, faults, and all.   He loves us without contempt---and with only acceptance and gave his very life for us.

Until God shows me differently--there is no Mr. Darcy in my life---and instead of a Prince----a Mighty King alone to love me.  

"Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God."

I John 4:16

The Message