Expectation of a Princess {Guest Post by Heather}

I’ve always been a “Princess”. I’ve never been one to go around claiming that I’m a princess or treating others as though I’m better or anything like that, but I’m the baby of the family. I’m a girlie girl. I adore Disney Princesses and diamonds (among other sparkly things). It wasn’t until I met my husband and he treated me like a Princess that I really started embracing the wonder of Princessdom (not a word, but we’ll go with it). But I still didn’t want to call myself a princess…that’s awfully conceited, in my humble opinion. So I was a closet princess.

Until I realized that I really am a princess because my Father is the King of Kings. Romans 8:15 says, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” I started seeing t-shirts in Christian Bookstores and such that read “I am a Princess because my Father is the King of Kings” claiming this verse among others. I did not get one, but I did not let that hold me back from claiming my royal title. I even contemplated getting a tattoo of a cross with the word “Princess” below it.

But then I realized that being a Princess isn’t all about royal treasure and pretty dresses. And neither is being a daughter of The King.

Princesses are constantly befallen with the responsibility to uphold the royal reputation.

 When was the last time I took my Heavenly Father’s reputation into consideration?

As Christians, we’re constantly under ridicule. For the way we act, the way we talk, the way we dress, the music we listen to, how we drive… The list goes on and on. But how often do we think about how what we do affects the way an unsaved person views Christianity? I know for me this revelation hit me like a slap in the face. I was at a retirement party for a coworker of mine and the beer was a-flowin’. I’d had a couple too many when another coworker – my friend – introduced me to her sister. Then she said to her sister, “This is the Christian lady I told you about. Doesn’t she look like a real good Christian Lady?”

Wow. She may as well have introduced me to Jesus himself for as much shame as I felt. And I wish I could say that I stopped drinking right away and went home that night a changed person. I’d even settle for I stopped drinking after that night. But it took another night of acting like an idiot to make me realize that it really wasn’t worth the “fun” to put my Heavenly Father’s name to shame. It’s been over a year since I’ve had any type of alcoholic beverage. I was not an alcoholic by any means, but it was (and still is, sometimes) tough for me to not drink anymore. It’s such a big part of social functions that I have had to find a whole new realm of social functions. I now enjoy Bunco games at the church, coffee dates with friends, and play dates with mommy friends. And yeah, sometimes I feel like an old lady, and sometimes I offend people by rejecting their invitation. But that’s one less thing driving a wedge between my Father and I.