When Kate Middleton wed Prince William in 2011, the world received a crash course on the bestowing of royal titles. It wasn’t long after they said their “I dos” that it was announced that William and Catherine would henceforth be known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, respectively. For those in the global audeince unfamiliar with the customs of a monarchy, it seemed like a strange pronouncement. We know about kings and queens, princes and princesses, but that’s generally as far as our knowledge of such things goes. Additional titles seem unnecessary. However, this practices confers upon an individual honor, prestige and significance. The titles that one accumulates dictate their place in society.
Because we may be unfamiliar with this practice, we may not give sufficient weight to the title that we have been given as Christians. Scripture tells us those who have repented of their sins and placed their trust in God are children of the King (See Gal. 3:26, John 1:12, Col. 1:13). We are called the heirs of Christ, and as heirs have been given an eternal inheritance (Ro. 8:17, Eph. 1:11-14). This title was bestowed upon us not because of any greatness or achievement that we obtained, but because God in His great mercy loved and saved us even while we were His enemies. Whatever title or position we might have here on Earth it pales to the royal position we have in eternity.
It is important, however, to realize that unlike Earthly titles which confers prestige upon those that bear them, the children of the King are called to be servants (John 12:26; Gal. 5:13). It is their humility, and not their self-esteem that is to increase as a result of their position. It is acknowledging our own inability to be significant enough to earn God’s favor that prepares us to accept the sacrifice that His Son made on our behalf. The honor that accompanies our title is not ours, nor is any prestige. The One who gave us the right to be called His kids is the one to Whom all glory and praise should be attributed.
So when the days are tough and the miles long, let us not forget that it is not our position that we have achieved on Earth that is ultimately going to matter. However, lest we think that our royal position is caused for arrogance or conceit, let us also remember that it is Christ alone who deserves exaltation for the fact that we are children of the King.