Crowning Wisdom: The Netherlands

The Crown of the Netherlands is a rather unusual affair. I do not find it terribly attractive, though it seems to be typical of continental monarchical headgear, which have eight arches and have a ‘compressed’ appearance, as though one has sat upon it but got up just before it broke. In this regard, the Spanish crown is similar and the Portuguese crown worse. Dutch kings, princes and ‘stadtholders’ do not wear crowns, merely keeping it upon a table as they are sworn in, so its comfort or ability to balance atop a human head are less important. Furthermore, it is made of gold-plated silver like its Spanish counterpart, but, peculiarly, employs artificial pearls, some of which are made of pasted fish skin and others of coloured glass. The canny Dutch are evidently disinclined to invest excessive sums of cash in a piece of jewellery which no-one bothers to wear. It looks the part, and that is enough. And because it is a royal crown, despite the meanness of the fabric, it will still have an extraordinary value.

The Christian might be baptised in the Holy Spirit, have a knowledge of eternity and be adopted into the family of God, but his body still wears out and fades away. Dust it is, and to dust it shall return. Our material body is not enriched and ennobled by our new status in Christ. Yet we do have a tremendous value and position, not for what we are made of, but for Him to whom we belong. I might be all fishpaste and common glass, but the most majestic Royal in the Cosmos deigns to call me His own.

...just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:4-6, New King James Version