Kingdom Principles

Kingdom Principles

expand their territory. The most obvious way that wealth displays a king’s power is in his ability to give generous ly, lavishly, and even recklessly of his wealth to his citi zens as well as to outsiders who visit his kingdom. Kings who rule over lands that are sparse in resources and whose citizens are poor are judged to be poor kings, lacking in power and influence and therefore dismissed as unimportant. They may even be perceived as unable or unwilling to take proper care of their citi zens and subjects. Poor kings, therefore, develop a poor reputation, which brings us to the second principle. 2. The purpose for a king’s wealth is to secure his reputa tion—his glory. Every conscientious king wants to be known as good, benevolent, magnanimous, and just. He is constantly concerned for the complete welfare of his people. He wants to be able to show the world that he can provide his citizens with anything and everything they need. Want in a kingdom is a shame to the king. So a king’s reputation is tied to his ability to take care of his cit izens, and that ability is directly related to his wealth. A king whose people are secure in his benevolent provision will be loved by his people, respected by other kings and rulers, and will enjoy a stable and secure reign. His reputation is firmly established, and his glory shines to all around. 3. The glory of a king is his power to out-give another king. This is another reason why wealth is important to a king. Kings are deeply and continually concerned with their reputations, and no king likes the thought that another king might be richer, more benevolent, or more giving than he. Consequently, kings will give freely in response to a gift given to them, or from pure beneficence, often wildly out of proportion to the value of the gift received or the merit of the recipient.

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