Pretty Woman: More than a Whore

Hosea 3:1-3 (NIV) The LORD said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes." So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. Then I told her, "You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you."

I watched the movie Pretty Woman again with my daughter the other day. I know, I know, turn in my man card AND Christian awards pins? Can we dispense with the self-righteousness for just a few minutes and review a couple of redeeming qualities of that movie?

One is the redemptive overtone that is on display throughout. Edward (Richard Gere) shows a grace toward Vivian (Julia Roberts) the prostitute that is not unlike our Savior challenging the stone-bearers as to who is worthy to launch first? An interesting footnote: Edward means “rich or wealthy guard” and Vivian means “alive.”

For those who maybe unfamiliar with this film, Edward is a high-rolling business man in LA for a week who happens to get lost while looking for his hotel. He stops and asks Vivian for directions and she offers to show him to his destination (among other things) for twenty bucks.

They end up having real chemistry, intellectual discourse as it were, and he hires her for the week to be his beckon call escort for a number of events. Over the course of that week, Edward falls in love with Vivian and vice verse.

I want to share with you a few scenes that stand out for me, and really tugged at my heart. The first is where Vivian comes in “the morning after” their first night together and Edward has ordered breakfast – everything on the menu because he was unsure what she might want and didn’t want to disturb her sleep.

She sheepishly grabs a croissant while he is preoccupied, and turns away in shame and embarrassment (unworthy) while she eats it. All the while Edward, lacking nothing, doesn’t think twice about the cost of any of this, and his demeanor seems to put her at ease. Eventually she sits and talks and eats and eats and eats. Maybe not a perfect picture of our Lord, but some type and shadow there nonetheless.

Another poignant moment is when Phillip (Edward's Lawyer – played by Jason Alexander) discovers Vivan is a prostitute and is dogging her for her "ill affect" on Edward. He reminds her what she really is – “a whore” and then tries to rape her. Edward shows up and punches him out and then throws him out. A vivid picture of what the “accuser” tries to do with us, and how our Savior responds in our behalf.

And then there is my favorite scene.



When I was naked you clothed me. Edward sees she needs clothes and he clothes her – the least of these. What wonderful rights we have as a bride. The movie goes on to suggest they get married and live happily ever after, but Edward had paid the price for Vivian long before they were “married.” I know some of you see this as heresy, but you must admit, these are parallels to the process of our redemption in Christ.

Here are a few great quotes from the movie with some of my commentary added (source is IMDB):

Edward: You make $100 an hour and you have a safety pin holding your boot up?

And…

Edward: You can't charge me for directions!
Vivian: I can do anything I want to baby, I ain't lost.

It occurred to me that when we feel like we’re operating from a position of power (our element) we can sometimes fail to see our true condition (lost).

Edward: I think we both know she's not my niece.
Barney: Of course.
Edward: And the reason I know that is that I'm an only child.

I thought of the Kinsman Redeemer here. God’s Only Son covering the prostitute with his prestige and influence and expressing his value of her to the manager in a way that acknowledges her condition (what she is), but in no way affects her value as a human being (who she is).

Vivian: I appreciate this whole seduction thing you've got going on here, but let me give you a tip: I'm a sure thing.

How many of us will readily sacrifice our virtue for the place of provision? Little did she know how much Edward valued her outside her self-imposed “role.”

Vivian: I'm gonna treat you so nice, you're never gonna let me go.

As we fall in love with our Savior we begin to think we must perform in a way that will keep us from being rejected. While Edward in this scene is not a great picture of Christ, our true Savior didn’t choose us because of behavior, but because we’re his beloved.

Vivian: People put you down enough, you start to believe it.
Edward: I think you are a very bright, very special woman.
Vivian: The bad stuff is easier to believe. You ever notice that?

Wow. Been there. I know many of you have too. It’s easier to believe the lies the world keeps shoving down our throat over the truth of scripture.

And then there is this exchange:

Edward: Impossible relationships. My special gift is impossible relationships.

Vivian: When I was a little girl, my mama used to lock me in the attic when I was bad, which was pretty often. And I would- I would pretend I was a princess... trapped in a tower by a wicked queen. And then suddenly this knight... on a white horse with these colors flying would come charging up and draw his sword. And I would wave. And he would climb up the tower and rescue me. But never in all the time... that I had this dream did the knight say to me, "Come on, baby, I'll put you up in a great condo."

Vivian: What would it be like?
Edward: It would get you off of the street.
Vivian: That's just geography.

The last line haunts me. The Journey is never about geography. Relationship is never about aesthetics or appearance. It's always about covenant and promise.

Vivian: I want the fairy tale.

Edward: I never treated you like a prostitute. [Walks away]
Vivian: You just did.

How many times has the one we loved treated us like a cheap whore in their self-righteousness and then just walked away? Jesus would never, ever, ever do this.

Vivian: what's going on?
Edward: I don't know, you left and suddenly I'm in the middle of The West Side Story.

Edward eventually came to his senses and realized he loved Vivian and saw she was much more than what the world saw on the outside.

We often think of practical ways to help people without really considering their dignity or their value in the Father’s eyes. It’s important to remember we all have our designs on the Fairy Tale which is often born out of the pain of our past. The world will judge us based on our behavior and experiences, but the lover sees well beyond the coal to the diamond.

How many of you were whores and prostitutes just trying to survive when one day the Prince of Peace came charging in on His White horse and saved you? If we’re not careful, we can default to treating people like the whores they were, or are. Maybe we can consider the alternative to redeem them with the love of our Lord. Again, it's not about the behavior; it's about the Savior.

I'm so thankful He refused to throw rocks at me. Instead, he allowed himself to be beaten after a long sleepless night, and then He carried my cross and bore it like a dad rescuing his daughter from walking the streets. How amazing to see a prostitute become a bride.