This is an account of (King) David's mighty men...
Chronicles 11:11
In the previous post, THE BLEEDING HOPEFUL, I mentioned that many of our scars begin with a Hold My Beer moment. It doesn't take long on Youtube to see the worst of these.
Usually what follows HMB is something near idiotic. Sometimes however, a metaphorical Hold My Beer leads to something good - even incredible. I am not advocating leaping from shed roofs into kiddie pools (or the equivalent) here. I am heading into a story of an audacious HMB statement of faith.
For now, let's replace the phrase, Hold My Beer with one word: PERHAPS. I like that word... PERHAPS. It is a word that leans into what follows. It leads into the unknown and to possibilities never conceived. We take for granted the PERHAPS(es) of people in the past. From our phones to our freedoms, what we drive to jumping on a jet; everything incredible begins with someone's PERHAPS... And every proposer has known the jittery PERHAPS... as he approached his proposee.
So what does this have to do with Warrior-Poets? WarPos (if you'll allow me) are driven by the PERHAPS... So many come to mind; and maybe I'll expand in the future. But for now, one especially intrigues me.
Jon is a rich kid. He has title and privilege; and seemingly, the world by the tail. Jon could open any door with the statement, "Do you know who my daddy is...?" But Jon is driven by something bigger than this. He has a fire in his belly and lightning in his eyes. Jon is a Warrior-Poet.
Jon is Jonathan, son of ancient Israel's King Saul. And his people are under siege. They are oppressed, starving and hopeless. And as crazy as it sounds, it has gotten so bad there are only two swords in the armory of his nation's army. Jonathan has one - and that is a dangerous thing in the hands of a fired-up Warrior-Poet. A sword and PERHAPS... kind of faith change situations. They ignite people. They can alter the course of a nation.
The oppressors are camped out on a ridge. They have the advantage of high ground, numbers, and weapons. Jon has audacious faith. He uses a dangerous word - PERHAPS...
One day Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to where the
Philistines have their outpost.” But Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing...
“PERHAPS the LORD will help us, for nothing can hinder the LORD.
He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”
-- 1 Samuel 14:1,6
Jonathan devises a little test. And who knows from where it comes. He tells his young squire as they begin the ascent up the craggy cliff toward the enemy, "If they tell us to wait below, we're in trouble. But if they say, 'Climb on up here and fight,' we know the Lord has given them to us." And this is what happens. Jonathan's audacious PERHAPS... turns into spectacular. His PERHAPS... sparks bravery and passion in others.
I love a line by Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon's character in We Bought a Zoo):
You know, sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage.
Just, literally, 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery.
And I promise you, something great will come of it.
I want PERHAPS... faith; PERHAPS... guts.
PERHAPS... begins when we can no longer stand the mundane, the status-quo. PERHAPS... emerges when we remember who we are and why we are here. InThe Lion King Mufasa spoke to Simba from the stars with James Earl Jones resonance:
You have forgotten who you are...
You are more than what you have become.
Ultimately PERHAPS... faith relies on a big intimate God with big plans for us and others.
I'll wrap up with that. Oh, by the way, there is no indication given in Bible story, that Jonathan had any prior assurance his PERHAPS... story would work out. And that is truly WARRIOR-POETic!
For now...
D
