I sat at the very back of the crowd and listened intently as Sir Knightly spoke to the men gathered around him. He spoke about the challenges of being a real warrior and told us stories of other great men of valor. He spoke with confidence and passion as the sun glinted off of his armor in the early morning. He also shared with us his own experiences. He inspired us with stories of his own victories and tempered us with tales of his defeats. We learned from him that a true warrior is not measured so much by the outcome as he is by his conduct during the battle; most importantly, his obedience to the will of his Lord.
We were a mixed lot. Some among us were warriors and others had never so much as lifted a blade to fight for The Kingdom. It was obvious to me that many there had suffered major defeats that had left them terribly wounded. I considered myself a warrior in my own right, though not as great as Sir Knightly. He had many great titles whereas I had earned only a few of lesser significance. I was not ashamed. Not all are called to be great warriors like Sir Knightly. However, I still secretly hoped that one day I would be freed from my other obligations that I too might pursue such noble causes. Not for the titles and the glory mind you but for the good of The Kingdom. Yes, I too can succumb to pride but I tell you honestly, after much introspection, that my motivations in this are pure. But, I digress.
It had been a challenging few days for all of us. Sir Knightly had been teaching us about the way of the warrior. At first, many of the things he had us do seemed very strange and we did not understand. Later, we began to comprehend as we saw the results of his training. We became men of one heart. The stories he shared also seemed to be carefully selected to highlight the important points that he was trying to teach us. I recall one story he told us about a man who was a warrior of no significance until much later in life. This man's son had been crippled from birth but had a brave heart and wished to go into battle with his father. The warrior knew that it would be no easy task to undertake such an endeavor but undertake it he did and without so much as flinching. Because of his great valor, he became a great warrior in the eyes of many men, us included, and, no doubt, in the eyes of his son. This story was particularly inspiring to me because it showed me that a man can choose a different path even if it is late in his life. Though I am not old, I had sometimes felt that I must remain on the road I had chosen rather than choosing another, but no longer.
I counted myself fortunate among the men gathered there for I had sat under the tutelage of some very great warriors, Sir Knightly being one of them. I had also had the opportunity in recent years to fight alongside him in some small skirmishes and to help him in his endeavors to train others. I had learned a great deal from Sir Knightly. After seeing what a great warrior he was I would not be surprised if a few of those men even envied me my familiarity with him.
As Sir Knightly concluded his training he read to us a story from The Word. It was a story about a great warrior named Jonathan and his armor bearer. Together they slew an entire camp of foes after being given a signal from their Lord. At first I thought he was inspiring us to greatness with another story of valor but instead he sought to teach us of humility and servanthood. "You see, all great warriors have need of an armor bearer." His words rung in my heart. The message was clear to me. A true warrior must, at times, depend on others. And, also, a true warrior must, at times, serve others. Sir Knightly then began to name some men who were his armor bearers. These were not mere farmers with pitchforks mind you. These were great warriors in their own right. And then, a most perplexing thing happened. Sir Knightly looked across the crowed and locked his eyes with mine and named me as one of his armor bearers.
I must confess to you that I went numb. My eyes brimmed with tears then (and now) by the honor he had just given me and yet I did not feel worthy of such a great title. I suppose there are many men who would consider such a thing their due and, perhaps, others who would be insulted to be called someone's armor bearer. A number of thoughts went through my sorry head. I began to wonder if maybe he had felt obligated to name me so since I was there and had served alongside him recently. I quickly realized though that such a thought demeaned both Sir Knightly and myself. I also remembered that Sir Knightly had recently recommended to me that I attend a special training program which I had declined because of the cost it would present to me and because, in my arrogance, I did not see the value of the training myself nor did I trust Sir Knightly enough to accept his judgment in the matter. After what I had experienced in those few days I committed that I would attend the training. And so I accepted in my heart the honor Sir Knightly had bestowed upon me and set out to understand the duties and responsibilities of an armor bearer.
It was some time before Sir Knightly called upon me to bear his armor but call upon me he did. We met at a local establishment to enjoy a drink together and as soon as Sir Knightly stepped through the door I could tell that he had been in a battle and that it had not gone well. His armor looked very worn and, if I may be so bold to suggest it, even a bit dingy. I wasn't sure if Sir Knightly wanted to talk about the battle so I shared with him some details of a small conflict I was currently involved in that was not going well. Apparently this made him feel at ease and he asked me to help him with his armor. As he began to take it off I was amazed by the wounds underneath. This was the second battle he had fought recently in this campaign and both had left him sorely wounded. While I helped him with his armor he told me of the battle and how he had received the wounds and I winced as I shared in his pain.
It takes a great deal of trust for a great warrior such as Sir Knightly to remove his armor in the presence of another when he is in such a weakened state. I was honored that he would extend such trust to me. I did what I could to tend to his wounds. The only insight I could offer was that he talk to his commander to ensure that he understood his orders and that he had his full support. I also suggested that he focus on the strategic aspects of the campaign instead of fighting tactical battles. Then, I helped him don his armor and sought to clean it up a bit. The condition of a warrior's armor often reflects more than his outward experiences and I felt that this was the case with Sir Knightly. Thus, I reminded him of his many great victories and asked him to consider how many lives had been affected by the outcome of his battles and his training of others for battle. Sir Knightly appeared to be heartened by this and as he bid me good bye I felt confident that he had trained me well and that I had borne his armor with diligence.
I met again with Sir Knightly a bit later and he indicated that he had spoken with his commander and that the future prospects of the campaign looked much better. I could tell by the look of his armor and his outward demeanor that he was once again ready for battle. I continue to be impressed by his seemingly endless commitment and passion. Wherever you are Sir Knightly you are in my prayers. Excelsior!
A.B.
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