By Doug Bing, Washington Conference president
There is a story from the year 1140 when King Conrad III besieged the castle in Weinsberg. This was during a time of civil war between different factions. As the battle raged and the siege continued, the ladies in the castle negotiated with King Conrad that they would be allowed to go free, live, and leave with whatever they could carry.
When the castle doors opened, the women marched out with their husbands on their backs. The king’s advisors wanted him to immediately reverse the decision because that was not what had been meant in the agreement. However, the king was reportedly amused and impressed with the cleverness of the women and stated that “a king’s word is a king’s word and must not be changed.”
There are a number of variations of this story that have made the rounds. The original account was published only 35 years after the siege, and many consider the later variations to be unreliable. We do know the siege took place, that there was a civil war, and that there was a King Conrad. The other details are questioned.
The point of the story, however, is clear. The king was merciful. The women were loyal to their husbands and not to the riches of the castle. The king kept his word. The story of these women has become legendary.
We could ask ourselves, what would we carry out if given the choice? My grandparents suffered a house fire after all their children were grown and they had many grandchildren. Everyone made it out alive. The only thing my grandmother would occasionally wish for, however, were the photo albums that held her memories of family. As a fire chaplain for five years, I have talked to those who have lost their homes. Every single time, they have been grateful for life and for their family. The rest can be rebuilt. Life, however, is precious.
Someday the siege on this earth will be over. We will be invited into a new world and a new reality. This earth will burn. The place of safety is through the gates of pearl in the holy city of God (Revelation 21:21). The question is, what are you trying to carry into that new world? If you are trying to carry things, that world is not for you. If you are trying to carry habits that have no place in heaven, those gates are not for you. Frankly, in that new world you cannot even carry someone else into the kingdom of heaven. They will need to walk through the gates on their own.
So what do we carry? Revelation 19 says that the bride of Christ will be clothed in fine linen, clean and bright. Matthew 22 speaks of being invited to the wedding feast and wearing wedding garments. Revelation also speaks of white robes. We have more than legend in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us. As a result, we walk with confidence toward those gates of pearl and carry only the wedding garment earned for us by Jesus. We carry only the robe of righteousness placed on us by Him.