ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 Monite ‘Okatopa 23, 2023

Dark but Lovely

Kili ‘Uli’uli kae kei Matamatalelei pe

SONG OF SONGS 1:5-6

"I AM VERY DARK, BUT LOVELY, O DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM, LIKE THE TENTS OF KEDAR, LIKE THE CURTAINS OF SOLOMON. DO NOT GAZE AT ME BECAUSE I AM DARK, BECAUSE THE SUN HAS LOOKED UPON ME."

HIVA ‘O E HIVA 1:5-6

5 ‘Oku ou kili ‘ui ‘apē, kau ta‘ahine Selusalema, Ka ‘oku ou matamatalelei pē; ‘Oku pehē ‘a e ngaahi tēniti ‘o Keta, ‘Oku pehē ‘a e ngaahi puipui ‘o Solomone. 6 ‘Oua te mou siosiofi au, Koe‘uhi ko ‘eku kilikiliua, Koe‘uhi ko e ‘ā mai kiate au ‘a e fine‘eiki ko la‘ā. Ko e kau tama ‘a ‘eku fa‘ē na‘e ‘itangi au: Na‘a nau tu‘utu‘uni au ko e tauhi ngoue vaine;

Ko e ngoue vaine ‘a‘aku tonu na‘e ‘ikai te u lava ke tauhi.

Hannah sang of how the Lord "makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts" (1 Sam. 2:7). In her canticle, Mary too sings of how God "looked upon the humble estate of his servant... brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate" (Luke 1:48, 52). This theme of "great reversal" is touched on in the opening lines of the Song of Songs. The lover of Solomon-iconic of Israel and the church-is "very shachor, but lovely." Shachor is "swarthy, sunbaked, dark." Although sun-kissed bodies have sex appeal today, in this ancient culture there was a stigma attached to this look. Sun-darkened skin signaled that you worked outside, were of a lower class, and were certainly not royalty.

Yet this is the woman whom wise, powerful, internationally famous Solomon loved. He chose her. He looked upon the humble estate of this servant, exalted her, kissed her, and wrapped her in his royal arms. He beautified her with his love, as Christ does his church, his resplendent bride. She may not look like much to the world, but in the eyes of King Messiah, she is  lovely beyond reckoning.

Exalt your church, Lord Jesus, that we may partake of the glory that is yours.