The wedding
Last Saturday, it was estimated that some two billion people watched the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markel. After such an event, it seems that everyone becomes an expert critic. Social media, including Facebook and Twitter, were full of comments, some positive and others negative, derogatory, cutting and bordering on slander. Some people didn’t like the way Harry was dressed, others complained about Megan’s bare shoulders, and of course, Rev Curry’s presentation received a lot of attention. Some accused him of stealing the show and taking the spotlight off the bride by his lively presentation, while others thought he was way over the top.
Well, whatever you thought of the wedding or for that matter Rev Curry’s address, as Christians let us be gracious and winsome in the way we deal with each other, including those involved in the wedding, and especially on social media. Sometimes, and more often than not, what we didn’t particularly appreciate doesn’t always need to be mentioned. As the saying goes, “if you wish to throw stones, there is always a stone to throw.”
I find when I do need to give feedback, it is always good to start with the positives. Scripture gives us some idea what that looks like, i.e: whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy – think about such things (Phi 4:8). So, following that pattern, let us at the very least seek to affirm what was good.
The following Bible passages were either quoted or referenced during the ceremony. 1 John 4:16 (NCV); Song of Solomon 2:10-13, 8:6-7 (NRSV); 1 John 4:7 (NRSV); Deuteronomy 6:5 (NRSV); Leviticus 19:18 (NRSV); Matthew 22:37-40 (NRSV); 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NRSV); Amos 5:24 (NRSV); Isaiah 2:4 (NRSV); Matthew 14:22-33 (NIV).[1] I cannot remember when I heard that much ‘Bible’ at a wedding let alone a celebrity wedding.
In today’s ‘western’ world where Christianity is often maligned and ridiculed, at the very least we can be thankful that the Scriptures were read at all. Let us also pray then that when people heard the Scriptures read and quoted that the Holy Spirit would use it to impact people’s lives, after all, we believe that the Scriptures are able to make people wise to salvation (2 Tim 3:15). Furthermore, God’s word promises that where His word goes forth it does not return to Him void but will accomplish what God desires (Isa 55:11). If the TV audience estimation is correct, let us pray that the Lord would be pleased to turn just a small percentage to himself in repentance and faith. That would not only be a vast number but would also cause the angels, and God himself to rejoice in heaven.
Regarding Rev Michael Curry’s address, I will let you be the judge, but again, be gentle, please. In his address Rev Curry mentioned, and I quote, “If you cannot preach like Peter, and you cannot pray like Paul, you just tell the love of Jesus how he died to save us all…”[2] Now we might like to qualify such a rhythmic poem from our understanding of Scripture but let us first pray that the Lord would use it to win people into the Kingdom. JZ