Tears of the Elect

    The days passed like a dream.  Seeker and Beautiful were inseparable by day—she sat with him as he studied, and they read her Book together.  Sometimes she couldn’t resist visiting him in his dreams.  But he always made sure she had enough rest to wake refreshed the next morning.

    At last, Christmas Eve arrived.  When they reached Kind’s tent, Liora greeted Seeker with a warm hug.

    “Hello, Miss Beautiful,” Tirzah said, smiling sweetly.  Then she turned her piercing eyes on Seeker.  “It’s about time.”

   They ate a humble meal together by candlelight, then stepped outside.  Around a nearby campfire, the shepherds were already gathering.

    Kind began to speak:

–

    It came to pass in those days that the ruler of Vanity determined to tax the world.  And Joseph went up to Sincere to be taxed with his betrothed wife, Mary, who was with child.

   Now when they arrived, her time came to give birth, and she brought her firstborn son and laid him in a manger, for there was no room for them in the inn.

    Now there were shepherds in the Delectable Mountains watching their sheep by night.

    And a Shining One appeared to them, and the glory of the King shone around them, and they were sore afraid.  Then the Shining One said, “Don’t be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy for all people.

   “Today, in Sincere the Prince is born who will save his people.    

   “And this will be the sign to you: you will find the baby, wrapped and lying in a manger.”

    And suddenly with the Shining One was a multitude praising the King and singing.

    “Glory be to the King in the highest heavens, and peace to earth, good will to men.”

   When the Shining One was gone, the shepherds went and found the baby, wrapped and lying in a manger, just as he said.

–

    Kind paused and gestured toward a bright star shining in the sky, which had appeared while he was speaking.

–

    When Emmanuel was born in Sincere, Wise Men came from afar, following His star.  The star went before them until it stopped at the place the baby was.  When they entered the house, they found the baby with his mother, Mary, and they fell down and worshipped Him.  They opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

–

    The shepherds began trading small gifts.  Seeker gave Beautiful a handbag he had made for her with his own hands.  And Beautiful gave Seeker a music-box—it played his favorite song.

   One by one, the shepherds left quietly.  Kind and Liora bid Seeker and Beautiful good night and invited them to sit by the fire as long as they liked.

   They sat there long after the fire had died, the embers glowing faintly in the dark.  Beautiful fell asleep leaning against him, and Seeker nodded off beside her.

    He woke to find his lips inches from hers.  The fragrance of wheat fields on her intoxicated him.  Her breath, slow and steady, brushed against his face.  He leaned in and kissed her, tenderly.

    He pulled away and gazed at her sleeping face—her hair, her eyes, her lips.  Oh, her lips.  She opened her eyes and smiled—the smile he loved so much.  The sky seemed to light up, dimming even the Christmas star.  She leaned in and kissed him, then slowly pulled away.

   They stared, lost in each other’s gaze.  Then they both leaned in and kissed passionately.

 

    That night Beautiful visited Seeker’s dream again.  They talked and laughed together, wandered the pastures, rested beside the streams, and danced beneath the waterfalls.  Hours passed like minutes.  Seeker didn’t want to leave—and she didn’t seem to want to either.

    Seeker sat upright, sunlight flooding his room.  He hurried to the common room, but Beautiful wasn’t there.  He waited.  She didn’t come.  His head dropped, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.  Had he only imagined she cared?  He ate his breakfast in silence, then made his way to the pasture.

    A group of Pilgrims sat gathered around Kind as he finished his teaching.  “Take care, when you think you stand, that you do not fall.”

    Steadfast and Gracious stood in the crowd, so he made his way to them.

   “Have you seen Beautiful this morning?” Gracious asked.

   Could she know?  He shook his head.  “No, I haven’t seen her.”

    He turned to Steadfast and blurted out, “I think Beautiful likes me.”

    “What makes you think that?”

    “We’ve spent hours talking.”

    Steadfast chuckled.  “Then you don’t know her very well.  She loves talking.  Just ask Gracious.”

    His heart sunk.

    Kind came hurrying over toward him.  “Seeker!  Seeker!  Where have you been?  I haven’t seen you in ages.”

    Seeker laughed, in spite of himself.  “Kind, it’s only been two days.”

    Kind shrugged.  “Sometimes, two days can feel like a long time,” he said, eyes twinkling.  “Liora wants you to come celebrate the Prince’s Birthday with us.  It’s a big event for us shepherds—we feast and exchange gifts in His honor.”

   Kind glanced to Seeker’s side.  “You can bring your…”  He paused, choosing his words.  “Friend, too.”

    “Late again, Miss Beautiful,” Kind said in mock exasperation.  “We really have to work on that.  And you too, Seeker.”  He gave them a knowing glance.  “You missed a good one—if I say so myself.”

    He wasn’t listening.  Beautiful stood beside him, breathless.

   She tugged at his sleeve and lowered her voice, “You can’t keep me up all night like that anymore.”  She whispered, careful that Kind wouldn’t misunderstand.  Then with a sweet smile, she added, “You have my days.  That should be enough.”

    Steadfast and Gracious stood next to them.  He leaned in close to Steadfast, chuckling, “You’re right.  I don’t think Beautiful likes me.”

   Not so very quietly that Gracious didn’t overhear.  She laughed softly, eyes twinkling at Beautiful.

    When Seeker and Beautiful entered the common room, Miss Cheerful looked up from the hearth.  “Hello, Seeker-for—” she stopped short, spotting Beautiful.  A knowing smile spread across her face.  “Hi, Beautiful!”

    “Stew again,” Beautiful sighed.  But her eyes still shone.

    While they ate, Seeker found himself distracted.  She traced her lips with her finger—more than once.  He’d never seen lips like that.  His eyes wandered.  The glint in hers, the shape of her cheekbones, the faint freckles splashed across her nose and cheeks.

    A thought rose, unbidden.  Maybe she wasn’t the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen.  As if she could read his mind, she beamed—and the room lit up.  No.  She absolutely was.

   “Tell me, Seeker, about your book.  The one you bookmarked with the picture of, what did you call it, a puffin?”

    “It’s about Christian.  He came from the City of Destruction, but he couldn’t stay because his burden was too heavy to bear.  So, he left his—” 

    Beautiful interrupted him.  “No, little baby, I know about Christian.  I want to know about you.  What does the book mean to you?”

   “I read it when I was young—maybe ten years old.  It’s my favorite Book.  I always saw myself as Christian, falling to Apollyon but refusing to stay down.  ‘Do not gloat over me, my enemy!’”   

    Her smile continued to light the room.

    “It gave me courage to leave Uncertain,” he said, voice softening. “But…”

    She leaned forward, her eyes steady.  “Yes?”

    He swallowed. “But nothing has been what I expected.  Companion says times change—but still.  Where is Good-Will?  And look around, Beautiful—what happened here?  And…”

    She nodded and rested her hand on his.

    “Sometimes I wonder,” he said quietly. “Christian walked alone.  He had Faithful, but he was killed in Vanity.  And later, Hopeful.  But his poor wife and children—how could he leave them behind?”  He hesitated.  “I don’t even know their names.”  He fell silent for a long moment.  Then, almost to himself, he said, “I don’t want to be lonely.”

    She took his hand and led him gently to the hearth.  “Wait here, little baby.”  When she returned, she sat beside him, holding a black leather book with silver letters embossed on the cover.

    “Her name was Unkind,” she said.  “His sons were Matthew, Samuel, Joseph and James.”

    Seeker sat up.  “What?  How did you—?”

    She handed him the Book. 

    He opened to the first page:

    COURTEOUS COMPANIONS,

    Some time since, to tell you a dream that I had of Christian the Pilgrim, and his dangerous journey towards the Celestial City, was pleasant to me, and profitable to you.  I told you also what I saw concerning his wife and children, and how unwilling they were to go with him on pilgrimage.

    “Graceless didn’t leave her,” she said.  “She refused to follow.  You know what’s worse?  She kept her sons from going too.”  She paused.  “But that’s not the end.”

    Seeker leaned in, eager for more.

    “That book is about Christiana.  As Graceless became Christian, Unkind became Christiana.  He walked true to the path.  And she followed… eventually.  And her sons.  And their wives, Mercy, Phoebe, and Martha.  And their children.”

    “Can I…” his eyes shone with excitement, “read it?”

   “Yes, baby.  It’s yours.  Not just read—it’s my gift to you.”

   He gazed at her.  For the third time today, he knew.  He loved her dearly.

    Seeker and Beautiful walked side by side.  This time she hung back, letting him lead.  They climbed the stairs past crumbling statues and stepped onto the smooth marble floor.

    “Here’s the Dusty Parlor,” he said.

   “It does seem pretty dusty,” Beautiful said with a nod.  “Maybe one of these days you should try the pitcher and broom trick.”  She laughed—a light, delightful sound.

   He pointed toward a doorway, now sealed by fallen rubble.  “There are more rooms on the other side.  The Interpreter showed Christian many things in them.”

    “And Christiana,” she said, her eyes shining.

    “Christiana?”  Seeker blinked.  There was nothing else to show her.  The rubble blocked the way forward.  “I guess this is where the tour ends.”

    Challenge flared in her eyes.  In an instant, she gathered her dress in one hand and scrambled over the wall.

    He stood there, mouth open.  In that moment he knew—he loved her.

    “Are you coming little baby?” she called through the wall.

   “Don’t call me—” He stopped short.  He could hear her glare from the other side of the wall.

    By the time he’d scaled the wall, she was already at the top of the stairs, standing in front of the locked door to the tower.  He hurried after her.  He took out his clasp-knife, slid it between the door and the jamb, and lifted the latch with practiced ease.

   A spark of admiration lit her eyes.  “You are full of surprises!”

   He was halfway up the first flight of stairs when he stopped.  Only his own footsteps echoed in the stairwell.  He looked back—she was still standing in the doorway, hand stretched out to him.

    “I’m waiting,” she said wistfully. 

    He retraced his steps.  She grabbed his hand without hesitation.  Then she sighed.  The stairway was too narrow to hold hands—but she didn’t let go.  Her body pressed close as they climbed, and his heart thundered in his chest.  Surely, she could hear it.

    When they reached the top, her face lit up with delight.   She crossed the room and picked up his Book from the desk.  It fell open to a page marked by a slip of paper—a child’s drawing of a strange bird.  “What’s this?”

    Seeker smiled.  “It’s a puffin.  My kid brother drew it for me.”

    She stood there for a long moment, just looking at it.  Then she looked at Seeker.  Something shifted in her eyes.  He wasn’t sure what it was.

    She ran her delicate finger over the spines of his book and paused at H Καινή Διαθήκη.

    “What is this one?” she asked.

    “That’s the New Testament,” he replied.  “It’s in Greek.”

    “And you can read it,” she stated—it wasn’t a question.

    “Some.”

    “OK, then tell me, little baby, how do you say ‘I love you?’”

    He paused.  He didn’t want to show off.  “A GAP A O,” he said pronouncing each syllable with care.

    A look came into her eyes—one he hadn’t seen before.  It was a strange mix of mischief and satisfaction.

    “Thank you!” she said.

    There was no doubt now.  He loved her.