Sometimes We Kneel
What kneeling means, and why sometimes we kneel because we have to.
Many people are kneeling these days, for many different reasons.
Sometimes we kneel in reverence.
Bending the knee is a sign of respect. A posture of humility. To kneel is to humble oneself quietly before another, to honor them.
The most popular show on television just spent an entire season wondering if Jon Snow would bend the knee in submission to Daenerys. In an epic filled with dragons, swords, and battles at every turn, the most powerful moment of the Game of Thrones season may have been when Jon finally bent the knee to Dany (at least figuratively).
A knight kneels before a king in respect and submission. Both Christians and Muslims kneel as part of their religious practice. Kneeling has long been understood as the appropriate way to come before a king or ruler in humble submission, a way to honor them. At my Anglican church, the priest instructs us every week to kneel before God during a time of prayer and confession. The Bible tells us that Jesus himself sometimes knelt when he prayed.
Sometimes we kneel for other reasons. A lover may kneel to propose marriage. A team may take a knee around a coach or motivational speaker. Kneeling can be symbolic. It can be a…
