A Royal Personage: You
Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer
As children of God and co-heirs with Christ we are part of a royal priesthood (Rom. 8:17; 2 Cor. 6:18; Heb. 4:14-16; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Rev. 1:6). Have you ever stopped to consider what your responsibilities are as a member of the royal family in the place you are called to carry out your royal commission? Of course, I am sure you have thought a lot about what it means to live a dedicated and satisfying Cross Discipleship life, but I found looking at our responsibilities from the position of being a royal gave me some new insights into both responsibility and privilege.
For example among the many privileges of British royals includes titles, VIP status, wealth, tax breaks, and a choice of which royal residence to occupy.[1] But, with all that pomp and circumstance comes lots of responsibilities: loss of personal privacy and freedom of movement; obligations to represent the family and nation as leaders in charity work and diplomacy; and performance of ceremonial and cultural duties. In short, the royal family serves “as a bridge between the monarch and the people.”[2]
Doesn’t being a bridge between the monarch and the people he or she rules sound a lot like the role of the royal priests Christians are called to be? We are to craft a bridge for others to come into the presence of God, and that is best achieved when we stay connected to both our relationship with our Sovereign and to the people around us. To do what we need to develop our unique royal persona. We can borrow some insight in crafting a royal persona from the British royals, “Fashion and public image are pivotal in crafting a royal persona. The attire and demeanor of royalty are not merely personal choices but are imbued with symbolism and expectation. The attire and demeanor of royalty are not merely personal choices but are imbued with symbolism and expectation. They serve as a visual narrative that communicates values, traditions, and the evolving role of the monarchy in modern society.”[3] Just as in the secular world, spiritual attire and comportment help build an image that will serve the Cross Disciple well in presenting the claims of our Sovereign Lord to the world.
So how should we be dressing our spiritual selves and presenting the virtues of our Holy God to the world? Paul offers a suggestion in Romans 13:14, “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” Then he adds in Colossians 3:12-14, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Sounds like a good starting place to prepare ourselves to develop the royal persona we need to help us build a bridge for others to the Monarch we serve!
(Photo credit: RA Stites, Fayetteville, AR)
[1] What are some privileges that only the British Royal family have? – Quora
[2] Duchess: Duchess Diaries: The Responsibilities and Privileges of Being Royal – FasterCapital
[3] Ibid.
