Dark but Lovely

Song of Solomon 1:5

5I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.

King Solomon wrote this song very early in his forty year reign as the NKJ Study Bible notes. King Solomon wrote a song of how his early marriage to a Shulamite woman came to be and their love for one another. The Song of Solomon is about romance and love as God has a place for it. In many places in the Bible, including Hosea, God is referenced as a husband uniting with the people of Israel. Israel, the people as a whole are often referenced as a wife or woman. And of course, The first humans mentioned are Adam and Eve as they were husband and wife. God made Eve for Adam. Adam asked God for a mate, and GOD created Eve and presented her to Adam. God and Adam had a friendship and dialogue with one another.  Marriage is also a reflection of the unity between us and God, therefore it must be weighed very carefully as it is supposed to be a ministry not only reflecting the most important relationship on earth from which everything is born but also to reflect the relationship we have God. But that is not the point of this scripture. It is only background information.

"Dark, but lovely," the Shulamite woman says. In the next scripture she says, "do not look upon me, because I am dark." The NKJ Study Bible notes that the Shulamite woman was aware of her beauty. Being dark did not determine her beauty or lack their of. It was simply her complexion from her long hours in the sun and she wanted King Solomon to look past her complexion. The NKJ Study Bible notes that she was not fair like the rest of the women in the court. Now Solomon had his choice of women but he wrote about the love he had with the Shulamite woman, who happened to be dark. Yes, this is going somewhere. Your beauty or your handsomeness should not be based on the color of your skin. However, we know we live in a society that has long lived along the color line. It is not only in America but I have also seen the difference in treatment in other places based on light vs. dark. There is even a product that many African-American women will easily recall when I say, "Dark and Lovely". Is the play on words a coincidence? Not likely. The product was created so African-American women could straighten their hair, to make them look, more lovely." The texture of your hair should not determine your beauty either, but again, society has often dictated what beauty is. God created you in His image therefore, as Psalm 139:14 says, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well." God's word even addresses an issue of color. Remember who created you, and you will remember your beauty no matter your complexion or the texture of  your hair, for His works are good.

P.S. A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who came out to support awareness of how to recognize child abuse and how to stop it!! The store manager said there are no other books like it in the store. She asked that I autograph the remaining copies because she wants them on the shelf as "it is a very nice book." So for those who missed out, you can still get your autographed copy of "Shh Don't Tell" at Barnes & Noble on 8123 Honeygo Blvd in White Marsh while supplies last.