Everyone knows the story of the Princess and the Frog: a princess takes a stroll into the woods and decides to enjoy a spring of water. She has a golden ball in her hand that she tosses repeatedly. She drops the ball, and it rolls to the bottom of the spring. She begins to cry, and a frog greets her. “Why do you weep?” He asks. She explains that she just wants her ball back, and that a nasty frog like him could do nothing to help her. The frog then gives her an ultimatum – if she loves him, gives him a home and a bed, then he will give her ball back to her. She agrees and he retrieves the ball. The princess does not keep her promise. The frog visits the princess’ house later on and explains his curse. Just like that, the two are in love and off to the prince’s kingdom to live happily ever after. (Keep in mind that she is never asked to kiss him, and never actually does in the fairytale.)
I think many of us would prefer Disney’s modern spin on “The Princess and the Frog”. Tiana is far from a traditional princess. Tiana is a waitress saving up every last penny to build her dream – her own restaurant. Instead of a magical land, she lives in the Creole-speaking bayou of New Orleans. She is also African-American, making her a revolutionary princess. She adds a new element to the list of princesses – she is special and unique. Interestingly enough, Tiana literally translates to the word “princess”. It’s so interesting how just the simple meaning of her name reveals her near future.
Tiana is a representation of achieving dreams through a transformation of the heart. This transformation can be described in two words: selfishness and selflessness. In the beginning of the story Tiana is independent and completely dream-driven. When given the opportunity to go to a dance that Prince Naveen will be attending, she is hesitant because she feels like she should work in order to gain more money (out of selfishness for her dream). Dr. Facilier, the movies’ antagonist and representation of evil, has put a curse on Naveen, turning him into a frog. We all know what happens next: Naveen (now a frog) asks Tiana to kiss him, then she even turns into a frog! The journey she makes with Naveen is what leads to her transformation. She becomes concerned with the well-being of others before her own, and even defeats evil to defend those she has just met and to lift the grips of evil.
Every girl can take something away from Tiana’s story. We are born living selfish lives and longing for selfish dreams. When we have a dream, we will do anything to achieve it. In the beginning of the film Dr. Facilier offers to make all of Tiana’s wildest dreams come true. Along the road of dreams temptation lingers. But as Tiana works through her transformation, she has a change of heart and desire. Her heart has become concerned for others, and her desire is to destroy any temptation in her and Naveen’s path.
This is what happens when we come to Christ for the first time as His princess – our hearts and desires change. Instead of seeing only our dreams, we are able to rub the mud from our eyes and see that who our transformation has brought us to is far more rewarding. We start finding significance in putting the ones we love before ourselves. We also defeat the evil standing in our way. This lesson brings to mind Luke 6:35: “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” Tiana started doing things for others expecting nothing in return besides the benefit of helping others. And in the end she was rewarded with her dream restaurant and a prince as a husband! But those are not the important rewards- our true reward is a place in heaven with our Father! This is an example of what it is like for us as young ladies to come to Christ – we transform so that our desire is not our dream but instead our seat in Heaven as Christ’s daughter.
Like Tiana, we should invite others into our lives. By doing this we go from being selfish to selfless. Then our earthly and Heavenly rewards will be far greater than we could ever dream of. Coming to Christ is what transforms us, and we desire nothing but the needs of others and gaining our home in Heaven. We should be striving for this as God’s daughters.
In the end, Tiana becomes a real princess – just as we do when we come to Christ! As Momma Odie sings in the film, you’ve gotta “dig a little deeper” into God, the Word, and prayer to find that new transformation.
-Emily Nicole Cromis
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