The King's most treasured possession...

(Written for and given to a beautiful young lady who loves her Heavenly Father, wants to live for Him, but is wounded and unappreciated by those around her in this world. I share it now with you --- in case you are or you know someone who is "the daughter of the King".)

There once was a King, a wise, honored, much loved King who ruled over many lands. He was handsome and brave and all who looked on him, both men and women, thought him to be the most remarkable of men who ever lived.

The King had a daughter who looked very much like her father: the King loved her with all his heart. While every day the King had many matters to attend to and many people asking him for help and guidance, always the King was most attentive to the world surrounding his daughter. For she was his treasure.

Those living in the kingdom were loved and cared for by the kind, wise king as well, but many of them cared more for their lands and their wealth than they cared about the King’s guidance and instructions towards them. For they had a secret hope that they too someday could become as successful and as wise as the King himself. So while they were thankful for the goodness of the King, deep inside they longed to have what he possessed.

His daughter, the treasure of his heart, cared only for the King himself. She did not let her eyes wander to the things that caught the attention of others, for her heart was fully devoted to her father, the King.

Because of this loving devotion, the treasured daughter grew more beautiful with each passing year. Soon, her beauty began to reflect the handsomeness of her father, and those in the kingdom took note of her transformation.

With the seed of greed growing in their own hearts, they longed to have what she undoubtedly possessed, and so they began to press her for her attentions and for her secret. They wanted to know her more, to share in her good fortune, so they could become acquainted with the secret of her glowing appearance. They wanted what she had - and if necessary, they would use her to try and get it.

But as the beautiful daughter had grown in her love for her father the King, and as her heart had become more and more like his, she had bloomed from the inside out with a beauty and wisdom that grows out of the soul. It can not be touched by the hands of greed or self ---- it can only be tended by the hands of a loving King. And this was the pearl that grew steadfastly inside the daughter of the King.

As she grew in beauty, wisdom rooted in her soul and glowed from her eyes. And with this wisdom she came to know she would only be safe in the hands of her father, the King. For many in the land wanted what she had, but would be careless with her.

In her wisdom, the daughter of the King sat quietly in his counsel and she listened intently to his words. Many around her clamored for other things, and at times their lives looked enticing and intriguing. But deep inside the daughter knew, her peace and good pleasure would come through the wisdom of the King. And so she held true.

She was loving and kind. She cared for those around her deeply and often offered her gentle hands of care and support to them. But she never gave herself over to their ways. She held fast to the guidance of her father, the King. And each night when she lay her head on her pillow, she kept her thoughts on the ways of the King and the peace of his words comforted her heart and mind.

Other fair ladies in the land were courted and wed, each with the hopes of becoming the wife to someone who would someday become as magnificent as the King. Young steeds in the land sought the attention of the King’s daughter and while she would enjoy conversation with them and encourage them in their quest of knight hood, she never veered far from keeping the focus on the ways of her father. She valued most --- the ways of the King.

As time passed, the daughter grew in beauty, --- deep, profound beauty --- until the King himself knew she had become the most enchanting in the land. She had grown in wisdom, had chosen his ways above all else, and had kept herself separate from her suitors who pursued more than just her heart. It was at that time, the King knew she was fully ready to receive the greatness of the gift he had been secretly preparing for her during all the years since the day of her birth.

There was a young knight, who had been born to a simple farmer,  the farmer was a man of depth and character. While it is true knights are usually born in homes of royalty, the king knew the boy to have the heart of a knight, and so from birth, the King saw the young boy for the knight he was destined to become.The farmer had raised the boy in the same wisdom that flowed threw the heart of the King, and the boy had grown into a man of character and purity. The young man desired what was right and true, honorable and good. The young man had a heart that paralleled that of the King when he had been of that same age. No one in the land had taken note of the young boy, no one except his father the farmer, and the King. For the boy did nothing to draw attention to himself, he was simply focused on growing with depth of soul and character of heart.

When the time came, the King knew the boy would become the man he would share his most treasured possession with. For she had grown from the seed of his soul and the boy had grown with the ability to adore what was to be treasured most.

In the commotion and busy rush of the kingdom, few were wise enough to pause and see the beauty that resided among them. To many were focused on how they could have what the King had ----- to few were focused on how they could become like the King. And so most missed the beautiful union of the King’s most treasured possession to the quiet farm boy whose soul was a perfect fit. But the joy of the two--- the Kings daughter, and the Kings chosen one for her ---- was so true and deep, the King took good pleasure in knowing they too would raise little ones who would grow in wisdom and truth. They would continue to plant seeds in the souls of his grandchildren that would enable their eyes to want what the King could grow in their hearts.

And the King was very pleased with his most treasured possessions -- for they were a reflection of Him.

For God is the King of all the earth;
   sing to him a psalm of praise.  Psalm 47:7