Princess parties are common for birthday themes. Often the participants receive plastic tiaras to wear on their heads, which usually break within a week’s time. However, the Lord wants to set a true and lasting crown upon us.
Psalm 103:2, 4b: “Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name… (who) crowns you with love and compassion.”
A crown symbolizes authority. The only ones allowed to wear a crown in a kingdom are the people who have legal authorization. A servant does not wear a royal headdress; however, the king and queen have the right to don a crown. They received the crown on their day of inauguration, when they were given legal authority to rule the land.
The Lord crowns us. The name of the crown He gives us is called “love and compassion.” Since the crown symbolizes our authority, then the name of the crown shows that our rule stems from love and compassion. What we decree in the kingdom must come from the authority of the kingdom which is governed by love and compassion. Our words and actions must line up with the kingdom ways of love and compassion since that is the authority we were given.
Often in our difficult circumstances, we want to make decrees out of our own opinions or sense of justice. Those type of decrees can only be made from the throne room. We may have crowns, but we are not the ones seated on the throne.
Psalm 89:8a, 14: “Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?… Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.”
This verse references God’s throne which is balanced on righteousness and justice. Those are the stability of His kingdom. His throne does not totter because He is seated on both of these divine attributes. He dispenses justice from a perfect place of righteousness. This is why He tells us to leave the punishment of injustices to Him.
Romans 12:9: “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”
His throne is righteousness and justice. While these are the trademarks of His throne, this is not what we are crowned with. The crown He sets on us, the authority He has given us has a foundation of love and compassion.
How do we dispense love and compassion in difficult times to difficult people? We must recall what God did for us.
Psalm 103:2-4: “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”
When we recognize His mercy and what He has done for us (forgives all our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us from the pit) then we can in turn respond with grace and mercy to others. We have been given much, so we give out of and in response to what we have received. With the authority bestowed to us, we decree loving and compassionate verdicts to those in our sphere of influence. I am not discussing what they may or may not “deserve”, just as we did not deserve all that God has done for us. I am also not talking about excusing or ignoring sin. This verse references how we are to govern our lives and our spheres of influence. Confronting sin can still be a loving and compassionate response. What I am referring to is that love and compassion dictates the response, however it may need to be. The way to ensure a loving and compassionate attitude is by focusing on, instead of forgetting, his benefits. Then, we are able to be beneficial to others by extending love and compassion. We were crowned with the attributes of salvation that we did not deserve and we grant these attributes to others, who also do not deserve them. This is the authority He gave us; this is the authority we are to work from; this is the way we are called to “rule” our worlds so that lives may be changed.
We have been given a beautiful crown. May we govern well. Extend love and compassion and see the kingdom of God spread.