“Be the woman who fixes another woman’s crown and doesn’t tell the world that it was crooked”

I ran across this quote several months ago.  I loved it so much that I posted it on the wall in my closet where I can see it everyday.

I love the thought that as children of God, we are entitled to walk in the authority of someone wearing a crown.  I love the imagery of standing tall, holding my head up high, and maintaining the posture that it takes to wear a crown appropriately- knowing that I am not doing it on my own merit, but on my Father’s merit.

So, what happens when that crown gets knocked around a little, I wondered.  Would I have the humility to bow my head and allow someone to fix it for me? I hope so. Do I have someone that I could trust to fix it for me?  Do I have the self control to adjust some else’s crown and not tell anyone?  Can I handle someone else’s vulnerability in a Christ-like manner?  That caused some soul searching…

I thought of the woman caught in the act of adultery from John 8.  Her accusers bring her before Jesus and a crowd, ready for Jesus to pass judgment on her in a very public setting.  Jesus bends down and begins writing in the dirt.  Upon continued pressing, he straightened up and responds “Let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (8:7, NIV) And then he stoops down again to continue writing.  We will never know what He wrote, or whether she was actually caught in the act (as they said) or even if there was any truth at all behind the accusation, but we what we do read is a very clear way to respond to those around us.  His simple response to the woman is so telling of Christ’s love and character: Go and sin no more.  (Shiney’s translation: I don’t care about how we got here, let’s just fix it and move forward.) His non-verbal communication is strong as well, stooping, straightening and stooping again.

This week, as we honor the sacrifice of the one who bore the ultimate crown, I pray that we can model His humility.  I pray that we can wear the crown with as much grace and love as He did. I pray that I can be a person that can be trusted to fix someone’s crown, and I pray that I can humble myself to know when I need to have mine fixed as well.

~Shiney