ODJ: commoner to royalty


May 11, 2013 

READ: 1 Peter 2:4-9 

You are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession (v.9).


It is estimated that 3 billion people watched Prince William, heir to the British throne, marry Kate Middleton. If true, nearly one out of every two people on the planet tuned in to watch the well dressed duo tie the royal knot. While the actual number of viewers was probably much less, still the London wedding was watched by millions across the globe.


Why all the hype? I suspect it was partly due to the fact that Kate was a commoner—as William’s mother Diana was. She wasn’t of royal descent. As William’s chosen bride, Kate the commoner became Katherine, the Duchess of Cambridge—and one day she is destined to be the wife of the King of Great Britain. Her life will never be the same. She now lives an extraordinary life of honour, privilege and influence. 


For those of us who know Jesus as Saviour and King, Kate’s story bears a striking similarity to our story. We too were commoners chosen by God to become royalty. To a group of early Christians, the apostle Peter wrote, “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people” (1 Peter 2:9). 


Peter’s royal pronouncement is not limited to first-century Christians. It applies to believers of all ages. And becoming children of the King comes with tremendous privilege and purpose. 


Each day we have the honour of representing King Jesus by working for the goodness of His kingdom. Peter went on to note, as a result of becoming royalty, we can show others the goodness of God, for He called us “out of the darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9). 


The more we former ‘commoners’ grasp our royalty and go to work for God’s kingdom, the more we will be transformed and overflow with meaning and life.—Jeff Olson