i haven’t studied this out or thought it through, but sometimes putting ideas like this off until they are matured can be a waste of time. at least that’s what i’m thinking here.
here’s the deal:
what if we are kings and priests? do you recall a Scripture that refers to us as being part of a “kingdom of kings and priests?”
if we are kings and we are ruling a kingdom, then we have real authority, a real job, a real mandate from heaven. the doubter has a knife of fear and a red flag pop up as he or she thinks, “Yep! I knew it! This is where this so-called Christian will advocate violence and taking converts by force.”
Will you just shut up? Just for a second. Re-visit that suspicion if you feel like you have to after I’ve shared some key elements.
Here’s the deal. Here is the concept. Here is the idea. This idea excites me when I ponder it. I want to change the world. I want my life to count. I want to be able to be grateful and joyous when my days are done. I’d like to see God’s kingdom represented, lived out, expanded and spread across this world. If I am a king, then those people around me (the ones that are not fellow kings – and there’s a lot of them) would be subjects. Commoners. People under my power and authority. Now, what if I led them with love? What if I treated my subjects as if they were more important than me?
Can you imagine living in a kingdom where the king left his castle, left his tower, put on an ordinary cloak and came out and joined us? Who helped us dig ditches and plow fields and change flat tires and get dirt on his hands… Wouldn’t you love that king? Wouldn’t you be glad to live in a land where you knew – YOU KNEW – that the king loved you? You’d looked into this king’s eyes and he stood right in front of you, as if to convince you with his gaze that he was serious, that he was there for you… What a great leader! A leader who would lead with humility. One that would not have his subjects serve him, but instead he would serve them. He would take his position, his rights and his titles and lay them aside to be one with and to love his people.
Now take that concept and pretend that God has made you a king. And the people who live next door that are not Christians are your subjects. Instead of treating them like “heathens” that you must try to convert, you treat them as people in YOUR kingdom (the kingdom of God … it won’t get heady and arrogant, because you realize that it is God’s and not your own). They’re not people to be tolerated and little “Gospel Projects” to convert and then appreciate. No. They are your people and you love them. You treat them as more important than yourself.
You esteem them as greater than yourself. Even if they like NASCAR or even if they cuss at their kids and their yard looks like crap. Even if they laugh and mock at the Christianity that they perceive. Even if they don’t realize that your love is amazing and worthy of awe and gratitude. Yes, even if they hate you.
There’s no room for bad attitudes. These poop (insert dirtier word if you like) attitudes just have no place – especially since our standing is a gift. We didn’t earn this king-ship. It was given to us out of love – freely and without condition. Attitudes have no place. Love is strong and can keep you on an even keel. Love is so strong that if you stick with love and keep on loving (flowing in and out of your heart), then you will not easily get out of balance. You’re pointed in the right direction, so a little momentum keeps you going in the right direction.
What a cool concept. What would life around me be like if I acted this way? And what if you acted this way? And another friend there? And another one there?
Hmmm….
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