Three Rings: Sonship

If you missed the lead up to this short series, go back and read about the Thailand ring. If you’re all caught up...

Here is the story of the second of those three rings.

The Sonship Ring

The first part of June was Training Camp around the office. This is when new Racers come to our campus and go through a 10 day training, which many members of the staff help put on.

This camp was special for a few reasons. First, I had proposed to Ashley only a few weeks before. Second, she was going to be mentoring one of the squad’s at this camp. This meant that I got to help train this group of Racers she’d be taking care of. So it was just cool to meet a new squad as someone who would sort of be in their life by association. Third, I was finally going to meet the Banse’s.

Dan and Ruanne Banse are coaches for the World Race, meaning they are basically elders that speak into the lives of the Racers. They also get to travel to the field for debriefs. Dan and Ruanne have been working with Ashley for a year or so now, and I had heard tons of stories about them. I was excited to finally get to meet them!

They’re a spirit-filled couple who always seem to be in tune with the Lord. And always seem to know what He’s saying. They’re also pretty goofy and seem to bring the party wherever they are. Basically, they’re great.

One day around halfway through camp Dan asked me what my ring size was. Dan likes to play around a good bit, so I just kinda laughed this question off. The next day he came back with a black ring and asked me to put it on. Not really following, I did. It was a little big, so he said he’d bring another one the next day.

At this point I had picked up the obvious, Dan was going to give me a ring for some reason. As I said, rings don’t really pique my interest typically. So the previous two days hadn't meant much to me. 

The next day Dan comes up to me with another black ring and tells me to put it on. It fits perfectly this time, and I actually get a good look at it. A black band with a gold cross inlaid on either side of the band. It seemed a little cliché to me at first, until Dan told me what it was for.

He said that this ring signifies my sonship into the Kingdom. It means that I am a son of the King. A son of the Father in Heaven. It showed that the Father recognized me as His son by giving me a ring, or a reminder.

The ring

Much like the Thailand ring, I didn’t quite know what to do. I thanked Dan and walked off to think. To be honest I didn’t really process what this meant until a week later.

I know that I am son of God. But to be recognized as one carried weight to me. It’s a physical reminder of who I am and where I come from. A reminder of what the Lord thinks of me.

I’ve realized that being recognized or being claimed is such a want in life. To be known, seen, spoken for. To know who you are and where you come from. But for whatever reason, it’s actually terrifying. 

In essence, I’ve come to realize that it is so important that it makes me wary. I don’t trust it. There’s too much of a risk of the disingenuous. Of the whole thing being false. So I don’t want to put any trust or stock in it. Better to be where I am than to trust in something that might not be true, right?

Of course not! Of course that’s not true. Sheesh, people. I feel like that’s the way our culture sees things. Until its been proven, it can’t be true. Seeing is believing, right? Not the other way around, no not never. It makes me wonder if this is one of the reasons so many people have such huge issues with being claimed by the Father as a daughter or son. Because it seems too good to be true. 

And I'd wager that we as a people don’t know how to be loved. 

Which is something I imagine the Father wants to change. Maybe He’s trying to tell you how much He loves and claims you right here and now? 

That’s the major lesson for me in this ring. I’m claimed. I’m loved deeply. My Father is proud of me. I’m His son. Good grief, guys... I’m His son. And I can trust in that. I really can. And I really will.

I keep the ring on my bookshelf usually. It reminds me when I’m feeling low. Reminds me if I’m feeling angry or lost. Reminds me when I need to know who I am again. When I lose my way ever so slightly.

It might seem silly. But in my opinion it can never hurt to have a reminder of who you are or where you come from. To know who’s watching out for you. To know who you can come back to. To know who claims you. Even more so when it’s the God of the universe.

This ring perfectly accompanies the Thailand ring in that they both show me that not only do I have worth in Christ, but that I’m a son as well.

Both worthy and claimed.

I find that to be important.