Abraham Heschel tells a story about a man who was a prince. However, he was taken away to live in captivity in another country.

He was now surrounded by crude and illiterate people. Over time something can happen. You start to blend in to the people around you—even if they were very different from you at the beginning.

One day he got a communication from his father, the king: “Don’t forget your princely manner! I will come and get you soon.”

The prince was excited. To be honest, he had started to forget his identity and stature. Blending in had begun.

But after his father’s note, he held a feast for the locals. His life began to be filled with a royal anticipation and hope, even though he was still living in this foreign land.*

Did you know that if you are a follower of Jesus that you are royalty, even if you feel like you are living in a land—and even amongst people—who  do not always share your values or ways? We’re used to thinking about Jesus as our Saviour, Lord and Teacher. That makes sense. He is indeed all of those things. But he is also our King. He is described triumphantly in Revelation 19:16: “King of kings and Lord of Lords”!

It’s easy to get down on yourself. There are days when I think the sole goal of our world is to beat us down. So don’t forget your princely manner! Your real citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). 

Friends, don’t let the world get you down. Live like royalty. Because you are.

---

Notes:

–“Live like royalty.” Sermon. March 5, 2023. Click here.

—Podcast: “8 book recommendations to grow your faith.” I was recently asked for some resources to help a person grow deeper, especially in the lead-up to Lent. So I put this together. You can listen at ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan’ or go here for watching or listening options.

–*Collin Hansen & Jeff Robinson Sr, eds., Faithful Endurance: The Joy of Shepherding People for a Lifetime (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019), 102.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.