Wear the Crown

In elementary school, on your birthday, you were given a crown to wear on your little head. It was cut out of construction in your favorite color and your name would be written across the front.
Mine were always purple and covered in Lisa Frank stickers.

When you wore this crown, everyone told you "HAPPY BIRTHDAY."
When you wore this crown, you were birthday royalty.

I remember trying to wear my crown as long as possible. Finally my mom would pry it off my nest of hair while I slept. The crown that was once strong bright purple, now resembled a soggy brown cloth.
The crown would be tossed in the trash because it would be inappropriate to wear the next day. After all, you can only be birthday royalty once a year.

Over the weekend my brother and I had a jam session. I introduced him to a new song that had periced my heart. The song is called "At the Foot of the Cross" by Kathryn Scott.
A lyric of song says:

....Trade these ashes in for beauty,

And wear forgiveness like a crown,

Coming to kiss the feet of mercy,

I lay every burden down,

At the foot of the cross. 

I got choked up.
I was reminded that I am royalty. I have a crown.  

But more importantly this crown cannot be withered or rusted.
This crown is anew each day.

In the gospel of John is says:
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

So today, tomorrow, and next week you may not feel like you are royalty.
You may have a soggy crown, but girl you are forgiven.
It's time to wear your forgiveness like a crown.