Session 6

Where is your allegiance?

From Having A Kingdom Mentality: A 7-Day Devotional

In elementary school, we learn the Bill of Rights and memorize the preamble to the Constitution.

As American citizens, we have privileges and responsibilities. We have the right to freedom of speech and the right to vote. Those rights come with a responsibility to use our voice and vote.

Just like our American citizenship is a privilege that comes with responsibilities, our citizenship in God’s kingdom comes with privileges and responsibilities. We receive freedom from our sins, community with God, a family of believers, and a purpose-filled life. And with those things, we have a responsibility to share Jesus’ message and put His kingdom first.

Everything on Earth, including our nationality, is temporary. But the kingdom of God will last forever. This is why the apostle Paul reminds us not to base our lives on what seems good now, but instead, to live with forever in mind: “... many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ...” (Philippians 3:18-20).

When we’re focused on temporary things, we seek our own glory and comfort. But when we’re living with forever in mind, we take seriously our responsibilities as Christians. We worry less about protecting what we have and more about who might need what we have. We find ourselves listening to the Holy Spirit and doing what He says rather than what others might expect.

Like Paul, we won’t always get it right. But we keep trying because we know that one day “the Lord Jesus Christ, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21).

Reflect:

• Think about how you spend your time, money, and energy. What’s one way you have become comfortable in your earthly citizenship?
• What’s one way you can join the work God is doing? Is it through serving, joining or starting a group, or meeting your neighbors?