Day 8: Royal Crowns

     Each September I have the pleasure of screening about fifty kindergarten students.    They love to show me their new shoes, clothes and haircuts.  On the screening time, I am the one to evaluate their motor skills - which is how well they are able to catch, hop, skip, and jump, and use a pencil and scissors.  They giggle when I can’t catch the bean bag they throw wildly over my head and they laugh at me when I show them how I skip.
     One little girly-girl wore a pink tutu type skirt, sparkly shoes, and a tiara on top of her curls.  She was not in costume, this was her going to school outfit, and she could carry it off.  I leaned over and said, “I love your tiara.”  She shared that her mommy gave it to her.
     “I have a tiara, too,” I confided.
     The little girl's eyes opened wide, “Really?”
     “Yes,” I nodded, “I wear mine at home when I’m vacuuming.”
      My little friend needed some time to think that over, but wouldn’t you like to hear the conversation when she told her mom about her day at school?
     Our Bible tells us about crowns.   It says that God will bestow upon the grieving a crown of beauty instead of ashes.  It also says that, “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.” (Proverbs 16:31)
     Tiara’s and crowns represent royalty, valor, and even, prestige. Our media symbolically crown’s people for their success, achievement, wealth, and beauty.
     Paul writes this in 1 Corinthians about athletic games, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
    1 Peter 2:9 tells us we “are a chosen people, a ROYAL priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God,..."
     As Christians, we are – quite literally – Kings and Queens.  Each night at the dinner table, you are seated beside royalty.  Look around, that boy stirring peas into his mashed potatoes,  a prince.  That girl wearing sauce on her face, a princess.  Even your spouse has a regal bearing because Jesus made it so.
     You see, we are working royalty.  We have responsibilities.  We teach.  We wash dishes.  We vacuum.  We were created in Christ Jesus to do good works.  So I ask myself: Where is my attention focused?  Am I putting effort into the places in my life that will make a lasting impact, a heavenly impact?
     Jesus too, wore a crown.  The One most worthy to be crowned King of Kings had a crown of thorns placed on His head in cruel mockery.
     I love the crown that Jesus wore.  I love it for it's power to bring this poor soul into heaven.  I love it for it's redemptive power.  I love it because it represents the depth of His love for me and the sacrifice He lovingly made.

Revelation 19
The Rider on the White Horse
 11:  I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. ... 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ...16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
       KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

      When do you wear your tiara?