What makes a king? Is it power? Authority? What comprises a kingdom? Is it a place? Is it a structure? Is it a people?

Most importantly, who or what is worthy of my allegiance?

If I’m honest, I find within myself a strong streak of defiance. There is a certain vein that runs through me that says, “No. I will not bow.” I’ve often wondered if that defiance is a negative thing. But I have come to believe it is a positive.

For much of my life, I looked at the world, and what I saw disappointed me. There is no shortage of things clamoring for my attention, my devotion, and indeed, my allegiance. Many of these things are powerful in their temptation. But ultimately they prove themselves to be empty.

I believe everyone possesses a sense of that disappointment. We search for something worthy of our loyalty, and, finding nothing, we do one of two things:

First, we bow to nothing. We stand convinced of our own pride and dignity and rightness, and boldly state, “I will bow to nothing. I owe my loyalty to no one. I am my own king or queen, my own world is my kingdom.”

Second, we bow to anything and everything, indulging ourselves in the hope that THIS will be the thing that finally fulfills us, satisfies us, proves to us that it is worthy.

I’ve done that many times throughout my life. I confess: I do it still.

But there are whispers. Quiet and gentle and lingering.

Whispers of a kingdom that will outlast everything that we now see. A kingdom that will never pass away, that is everything we’ve longed for, all that we’ve hoped for.

And at the center of that kingdom is a King upon the throne, one who is worthy of all our devotion, loyalty, and allegiance.

He does not force us to bow. He calls to us. He is not King only because He is higher, though He is. He is King because He made himself lower than we could ever fathom. And He did so for our sake.

The point of not bowing is not to bow to nothing.

It is to bow to something worthy.

Some of us take a knee far too easily. Some of us never take a knee at all. Both are mistakes.

A holy defiance is a good thing. It helps us stand tall and strong amidst the bombardment of things clamoring for our attention and allegiance. But there must come a time when we make a choice. There must finally be a moment when we say:

“I will bow to nothing else. But I will bow to You.”

There is a King who is worthy, who does not force you to partake in His kingdom, but who desperately wants you to be part of it because He loves you. He loved you enough to die. And He did so in order that you could partake in his Kingdom Eternal, and revel in his glory forever.