Crowning Wisdom: Spain

The Kingdom of Spain, like several modern European monarchies, employs its royal regalia for show purposes rather than wearing. The main crown, or the corona tumular as it is known, is displayed at the royal palace of Madrid and was last ‘used’ in 2013 when King Felipe VI replaced his father after abdication, standing next to it.

The crown itself is made of gold-plated silver with no gems, and shows the heraldic symbols of the earlier kingdoms of León and Castile. The sterling silver beneath is still a precious metal albeit a cheaper one than gold, the outer layer of which is between 0.5 to 2.5 microns (millionths of a metre) thick. I was minded of Proverbs 25:11:

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

The Spanish crown combines both precious metals into its peculiar design, and so too, according to Solomon, an apt word spoken in due season. Gold and silver are both beautiful to behold, but a thoughtful, godly and appropriate response to a question, quip, joke or insult, is more comely still.  

A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! Proverbs 15:23