Casandra Martin

My little friend and I were eating breakfast. Muffins, yogurt, and juice were spread out on the table as we sat together, talking and getting ready for the day. Between mouthfuls of muffin, he excitedly told me about the book he checked out from the library at school. It was a book about the animals that live in Africa. Lions, tigers, giraffes, and monkeys joined us at the table as he described them to me.

Grinning from the adventure playing out in his mind, he asked me about the animals that live in our neighborhood. I laughed and told them that elephants didn’t live in our backyards here in Houston. He paused in mid-giggle, as a deep thought filled his eyes. He was absolutely puzzled by this news. “I thought we lived in Texas,” he said. “We live in both,” I told him. “We live in Houston, Texas.”

His question taught me a lesson. Sometimes I forget that we live in two places. Our hearts have two addresses. This world is the residence of our bodies, but there is another kingdom that is the residence of our souls. We have dual citizenship. We belong in two worlds – an earthly reality and a heavenly kingdom. We have a physical home here and a room with the Father being built for us there. Here there is crime, war, politics, and disease. There the King reigns, wiping away every tear, abolishing pain, having vanquished the enemy, and defeated death.

My Jesus Resolution today is to change the way I answer the address question. Philippians 3:20 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” I am called to live an abundant, holy, cross-shaped life in this world, while never forgetting that I have another home. My allegiance must first belong to God, as I pledge to live my life in His grace and under His authority. Breakfast today has me rethinking how to answer the question about where I live. The next time someone asks, I am going to be brave and say, “I live in Houston, Texas and the Kingdom of God.”