Several years ago, when my family and I took a trip to Disney World, one of the events I most anticipated was a late-night dinner in Cinderella’s beautiful castle. Being a few months pregnant at the time and unable to enjoy most of the rides in the parks, I knew the castle visit would be the highlight of my trip.

Since we’d be taking a lot of pictures that evening, I tried to dress a little nicer for dinner than I had during the day. After all, it’s not every day that you get to rub shoulders with princesses and dine in a castle, so I didn’t want to look as if I’d been walking around in the September heat all day.

The big moment came and it was everything I imagined it would be. The inside of the castle was breathtaking, and Cinderella herself talked and took photos with us while we waited to be seated. She commented about our long “carriage ride” from Texas and shared home-decorating tips from her elaborate castle (apparently, it’s all about having pet mice to help with the work!). Then I watched as she doted over my two “little princes” and taught another little girl how to properly twirl and curtsey.

Later, as we ate our supper just as the fireworks show lit up the sky outside the widows of the castle, I knew that nothing could spoil this magical evening.

I was wrong.

As we left, our waitress gave us a commemorative folder that held the pictures we’d taken with Cinderella earlier that night, and the minute I looked at the photos, my magical evening disappeared into a puff of ugly reality almost as if the clock had just struck midnight.

Next to Cinderella, I looked like an ugly step sister! While she stood tall and thin, with a beautiful ball gown and perfect hair, I was short and round, with swollen ankles, wrinkled clothes, and hair that had succumbed to the Florida humidity. Her skin was flawless, her smile inviting, and even her gloved hands looked as if they had been professionally positioned for every shot. Meanwhile, my face was red and splotchy from several days in the sun, my mismatched mommy-bag hung awkwardly across my giant middle, and my “glass slippers” were my ugly brown Crocs.

Before I saw myself in Cinderella’s shadow, I had been pretty confident of my appearance. I knew I wasn’t “princess material,” but at least I felt passable.  But when I stood next to true beauty (albeit Disney magic beauty), I saw myself for what I really looked like – a tired mommy in desperate need of a fairy godmother!

Sometimes we can get caught up in how we look spiritually as opposed to those who are not as mature in their faiths, and we can become pretty confident in our own righteous appearance. But the Bible says that our righteousness is like “filthy rags,” and that’s a truth we sometimes forget when we compare ourselves to others. Perhaps we tithe more than our neighbors, read our Bibles more than our coworkers, or volunteer more than some of our friends. On the surface, we feel great! We may even go so far as to metaphorically pat ourselves on the back and congratulate ourselves on how “holy” we have become.

But the day will come when we stand next to the One who truly is holy, and that’s when our own righteousness will be revealed for what it truly is. Filth. Dirt. Rags. Sin. Next to Christ, we are nothing but worn-out tourists standing next to a flawless Cinderella. There is no comparison.

Thankfully, all hope is not lost. When Jesus died on the cross, He exchanged His own royal robes of righteousness for our filthy rags of sin. And when we accept that marvelous display of love, our filthiness disappears, and we become the righteousness of Christ! No fairy godmother needed!

Emily