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the correct posture.

what is a king’s proper relationship to the peasants?

should he fear them? they certainly outnumber him and could easily coalesce into a mob. should he resent them? they are simple, after all, with few responsibilities outside their roles within the kingdom, unburdened by the duty of leadership. does he ignore them? they are so far removed from the greater preoccupations of a monarch. does he exploit them? what good are beasts of burden if not to bear them unquestioningly? does he curry favor and pander to them by reminding them that kings and peasants have much more in common than not? might be good to keep them neutralized and happy. or does he recoil in their presence? they do lack certain privileges and are vulgar, at times, often busying themselves (loudly) with matters of little consequence.

no. the correct posture is benevolence. it’s up to him to keep them safe, to anticipate their needs and to protect them. to let them be who they are and to provide for them so that they may walk their own paths. they are his children.

the king must embody the Creator’s own posture towards all of us. and that’s why not everyone gets to be the king. he already knows no one can touch him. and not everyone can hold so much smallness with love instead of fear.