Citizen Kane has often been rated by various polls and organizations as the number one movie of all time. The innovative 1941 production starred Orson Wells, who also wrote and produced it. The title of the old movie classic came to mind as I reflected back on events of the past couple of weeks and my own citizenship.

Traveling in Spain and North Africa with my friend Tony reminded me again that he has the advantage of holding citizenship in three countries. As he travels he can pick and choose which passport is most convenient, cheaper or safer for a particular trip. I have many other friends who hold dual citizenship. I was beginning to feel a little sorry for myself until I realized that I, too, have triple citizenship.

I am first a citizen of the United States of America. This is where I was born and raised. I have never held citizenship in another country and have never been ashamed of being a US citizen.

If you followed my journey with my friends Ricardo and Tony, you know that we were recently in North Africa. One evening, riding the train to a North African city, Tony, Ricardo and I were chatting away in Spanish. Across the compartment from us was a strikingly sophisticated and handsome North African couple. We knew enough to speak carefully even in Spanish. You never know who is listening. I could tell this couple was paying attention.

Suddenly, both jumped into our conversation in beautiful Spanish! She was a native of the country where we were traveling, and he was from another North African nation. It wasn’t long before the inevitable question – “Where are you from?”

Being identified as a US citizen was not something I desired at that moment – not for security reasons, but just to avoid the obligatory questions about politics, etc. I kept quiet for the moment, waiting for one of my colleagues to take the lead. Tony flashed a big smile and said, “I’m a citizen of the world.” The couple returned the smile and said smugly, “Great! We are, too!” Good answer, Tony! You diffused all the issues for the moment.This couple, by responding in kind that they were citizens of the world, was saying that they understood that we have far more in common that unites us than that which divides us. Our understanding of the world goes far beyond the limited sphere of the country of our birth or residence.

My two friends covered for me as they said we represented El Salvador and Mexico. Their curiosity was satisfied, and there was no way they would know the real color of the passport in my pocket as long as we continued to converse in Spanish. Yes! I liked the answer. We are citizens of the world. That’s an honest answer, too. I have lived in four countries and traveled in more than 50 others, though I hold only one physical passport.This world is the wonder of God’s creation, and I am one of God’s many creatures on this earth – a fellow citizen of the world.

Citizen of the US, citizen of the world – but I also hold another citizenship. I am a citizen of heaven. Paul said as much to the Philippians in Philippians 3:20 when he said that our πολίτευμα (citizenship) is in heaven. Just yesterday I was reading from Hebrews 12.

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. Hebrews 12:22-23

How wonderful to know that all of us who follow Jesus hold the same heavenly passport! I was thinking of that during our prayer meeting tonight as one of our students introduced me to her mother. As we prepared to pray she apologized that her English was not very good and would it be alright if she prayed in Chinese. Of course! Others near me were praying in Spanish in addition to English. Maybe there were some other languages working in the room tonight. I don’t know. It just felt wonderful to know that God speaks our language – whatever that is.