A Fresh Infusion Of JoySample

Do You Know Who You Are?

Have you ever seen the movie The Princess Diaries?

It’s the story of an awkward teenage girl named Mia who can’t seem to win at anything. Then one day her long-lost grandmother shows up with the earth-shattering announcement that young Mia is actually a princess!

Mia is quickly thrown into the process of being groomed to become the future queen. But Mia doesn’t bring a lot to the table as a princess. She is short on grace, low on manners, knows nothing about governing a kingdom, and her hair is a complete disaster. Not much about her suggests she is worthy of the honorable title. But a princess she is, not because of her appearance or her ability to rule, but because of who she is. Mia is the only grandchild of the queen, and that is qualification enough.

We find a similar story in Scripture with a long-lost prince named Mephibosheth. A descendant of King Saul, he was whisked away by his nurse to keep him safe when another family took over the kingdom. His very identity could mean death and danger.

Once David was on the throne, he sought out Mephibosheth, brought him into the palace, and treated him as one of his own sons. Why? Mephibosheth was the only living child of David’s best friend, Jonathan. God gave this crippled man, who was a prince but felt so insignificant that he called himself a “dead dog” (2 Samuel 9:8), one incredibly happy ending.

Now for another example of royalty. Look in the mirror. Yes, look in the mirror. Do you know who you are? You might answer with your name or a role you think defines you—wife, daughter, mother, employee, volunteer. But the most significant answer is . . . you are a child of the King. And that’s a capital K King!

The stories of Mia and Mephibosheth highlight a beautiful truth for children of the King. Our value in this life comes not from what we can accomplish or achieve but in who we are. When Jesus paid the price for our sins, God made us His very own daughters. We can joyfully cry out with the apostle John, “What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are” (1 John 3:1).

I am a child of God.