In October of 2021, Japan’s Princess Mako left the royal family. Mako had fallen in love with Kei, a man she met at university. Although Kei is a good man, he is not of royal lineage, and Japanese law states that royal women must either marry royal men—or leave behind their royal status.
Because of this law, Princess Mako made the choice to officially resign from royalty so she could marry the man she loved. Let’s take a look at where she is now.
Play the following video [2:07]: Japan’s Former Princess Mako Welcomes 1st Child w/ Kei Komuro
Mako stayed true to herself by marrying the man she loved—even though it required her to leave her status and title as princess behind.
- What does it feel like to stay true to yourself or make a different choice amidst criticism or pressure from others? Tell about your experience. (Accept all reasonable answers. Sometimes it does not feel great; you may feel left out or second-guess your decision. Sometimes it feels empowering or you see the benefit later on. Students will have varied experiences with this.)
- Do you ever feel that the standards, expectations, or choices of others are at odds with following Jesus? (Accept all reasonable answers. Some will have experienced this in a vague sense, others more distinctly, and some perhaps not at all, depending on their friend group, their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, etc.)
The tough news is that following Jesus in a fallen world can be challenging, but the good news is that Jesus Himself experienced such challenges, and He’ll be with us along our way.