Speaking of whining, I have just a quick observation on an editorial written in support of Queen Elizabeth and her handling of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan checking out of royal family duties. In case you missed it, Harry and Meghan want to be “independent,” perhaps in North America. The Queen’s response was very gracious:

Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.

The Queen chose not to cut them off while making it clear that she’s at least a little disappointed that they have quit their job as “full-time working Members of the Royal Family.” I’m sure you know if you follow things in the U.K. even a little, you know that the Queen and the Family are expected to be “on performance” all the time and have a full slate of public appearances. It may seem easy, but many of us would find that routine tiresome. And Queen Elizabeth has been at it since 1952! Coming up on 68 years.

Anyway, William McGurn, in an excellent piece in the Wall Street Journal published on January 13, wrote in praise of the Queen, with some disdain for Harry and Meghan. I’m intrigued by this sentence:

Not everyone is cut out for a life of service and sacrifice.

When I first read it, in the context of Queen Elizabeth, my first reaction was, “Yes. The Queen has certainly exemplified service and sacrifice, and that’s more, apparently, than Harry and Meghan are willing to do.”

But after some reflection, I’m hard-pressed to think of any relationship or job that does NOT require service and sacrifice. Marriage? Raising children? Taking care of aged parents? Serving in the military? Showing up for work, day in and day out to…deliver mail, pick up garbage, serve in a restaurant, issue drivers’ licenses at the DMV, write code, stock grocery stores, make cars, build houses… The list is endless. Practicing Holy Moments also involves service and sacrifice.

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. (Philippians 2.5 – 8, MSG)

Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting. (Ephesians 5.25, MSG)

Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God. (Ephesians 6.5 – 7, MSG)