Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.
It’s easy to dream about being king for the day, or, better yet, for a few weeks. There are all sorts of things we might be tempted to try, given a possibility of abundant resources and power. Forget the fact that most kings throughout history haven’t had anything like limitless resources or power. It’s still interesting to dream.
1 John 3:1-3 speaks of being the children of God. Those who believe on Christ are called God’s children, heirs of all the riches of God. As we read the Scripture carefully, we realize that does mean limitless resources and power. Or does it?
We read in Philippians chapter two about Christ humbling himself rather than grasping to the power of the Godhead. This is a telling attitude about power and authority, sadly an attitude that many Christians are slow to adopt. Jesus is exactly the kind of God and Lord who humbles himself, takes on our frailty, and even gives his life for our good.
When we act like people who deserve privilege, who should be able to trample on others, who should have all sorts of advantages, all we are doing is denying the way Jesus came to save us. Jesus comes for sinners. He comes as a meek and lowly person so as to lift us from our fallen and desperate condition.
Now, just because he has lifted us up, given us his righteousness, freed us from bondage, and told us we are to be heirs of his kingdom, we might think our lives would change! And they do, they change for the better, but not because of authority or power that we gain, not because of a promise of divine resources, but because he gives us the care for the lost and downtrodden that he himself has.
What does a child of God act like? He lays down his life for his neighbor who is in need, just like God in Christ has done. What if you are king for the day? Will you help your subjects who are in need? That’s what our Lord does.
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