One of the most defining movies of my tween years was the beautifully-crafted, transformative story of the awkward Mia Thermopolis into a real-life princess of Genovia. The Princess Diaries is more than just a hilarious movie, though. It speaks volumes to a subject that I think some Christians either forget about or don’t really understand—what it means to be royalty in this modern world we live in.

We call ourselves sons and daughters of God, but do we really know what that means? Our Father God is also the sovereign king over all the universe, and, therefore, we are princes and princesses. We’re royalty. Under no circumstance does this mean that we have more worth or value than the people who have not accepted God’s grace and joined His family, but we do have a different status, and with it comes certain responsibilities. We must wear our crowns worthily or else risk disgracing the name and reputation of our King.

1 Peter 2:9 reads, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

It’s Not Always Glamorous

Being a daughter of God, a royal princess, here on Earth, can seem a lot like being the pre-magic-pumpkin Cinderella. We are being made to look different and beautiful on the inside, but our outside circumstances are sometimes less than ideal. We must remember that Cinderella had evil step-sisters. Belle was an outcast. Esther had to hide a great secret. The royal life is not easy, but as sons and daughters of God, we are called to it.

It’s Not Always Easy

Imagine if Kate Middleton just decided to stop making appearances at hospitals and schools. Imagine if she abandoned all of her charities and decided to remain at home every day, just watching Netflix. We would wonder what was wrong with her, right? We would question how worthy she was of her title ‘Duchess of Cambridge.’ Her actions would reflect poorly on Prince William, Queen Elizabeth, and even on England as a whole. It’s the exact same for the royal heirs of God’s holy kingdom. When we spread messages of hate, we disgrace our King. When we sit idly back and allow injustice to occur in front of us, we bring shame upon our kingdom. When we fail to live up to our potential, we wear our crown unworthily.

We must know our talents and then use them to glorify God. Whatever He has gifted you with (and He has gifted you with something), use it with no restraint. Hold nothing back in service to others. Pour your very essence into those around you, and God will fill you back up every day so that you can give more to others tomorrow. This is what we are called to.

But It’s Totally Worth It

No, the royal life we are called to is not exactly a tea-party. It’s more comparable to the life of a soldier. We regiment our schedules, forming them around the most important part of our lives—spending time with God. We “discipline [our bodies] and keep [them] under control, lest after preaching to others [we] should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). We pour our time, talents, and tenderness into others, in obedience to our King and for the advancement of His kingdom. This is the great work that princes and princesses of the Kingdom of Heaven are called to, and when we do this work, we wear our crowns worthily.