Growing up, my dad called himself my dragon slayer. Dad fought many dragons on my behalf. In life, dragons come in many different forms. Dad helped me fight dragons in school, friendships, boyfriends, driving, sports, disappointments, victories, failures, wins, and losses. When I got married, dad passed the baton to Skip. He said Skip was now my dragon slayer. That his sword was new, shiny, and sharp. Dad claimed his sword was dull, rusted, and stained from the dragons’ blood he’d killed through the years. He declared it was time for a new generation of dragon slayers to slay the dragons of life.

There’s some truth to that. As a married woman, I do need to depend on my husband. It is God’s design in marriage to leave and cleave. And my husband has proved himself to be an amazing dragon slayer. 🙂

But the longer I live, the more I realize how much we still need the old dragon slayers. The younger dragon slayers need the older, wiser, more experienced dragon slayers to show them how to fight dragons. Sadly, many of the younger generation dragon slayers don’t have a clue how to wield a sword and fight.

The dragons are slaying the dragon slayers.

We are all in a war.

Ephesians 6:12 says,  “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

As much as we might want to call it quits and lay our sword down, let others take up the fight, but as long as we still draw breath, we must fight.

We have two options: fight or be defeated.

“We and the world, my children, will always be at war. Retreat is impossible. Arm yourselves.” ―Leif Enger 

Many people now-a-days don’t know how to fight. They don’t know how to persevere. They face the first little bit of opposition and give up. They throw in the towel too quickly.

They show up for the next big thing. They are there for the launch. But the real heroes are those who have the fortitude to finish.

Ephesians 6:13-14 tells us to put on the whole armor of God. After having done all– to stand. To stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around our waist.

But if we aren’t standing on truth, we will fall.

That’s me. I fall so easily. I wish I could tell you that it takes the big guns to take me down. But it doesn’t. The devil only has to whisper a little threat and I’m in the fetal position. He convinces me my armor is weak. That my sword is dull and doesn’t work. And I believe him.

Isn’t that how many of us fight?

The best example of a dragon slayer is Jesus. When everything fell apart and everyone abandoned him, he persevered and didn’t give up. Even his Father had to look away because of the sin that was upon him while he was hanging on the cross. Jesus could have called legions of angels to take him off that cross. But he didn’t. He stayed the course. It wasn’t nails that held Jesus to that cross. It was love.

And it’s His great and powerful love that will allow us to persevere and become the dragon slayers we are meant to be.

I don’t know about you, but I want to surround myself with experienced dragon slayers. When they speak, I need to listen. I want to learn how to fight like them.

These old warriors’ swords might seem rusty, dull, and stained with dragon blood, but don’t let that fool you.

They know how to fight.

And dragons still tremble in fear whenever they come around.

 

 

 

My sweet daddy is one of the best, most experienced dragon slayers I know.  He wrote this poem several years ago. I hope it encourages you today.

The King’s Sword

By David Wyllie

 

One day an old warrior rode into town.

Many looked but few hung around.

The old man slowly turned his eyes to me,

And in his face his wisdom I could see.

I saw by his scars the battles he’d faced.

For in the King’s service his life he had placed.

 

He said, “I’m going home and laying my sword down.

Who will pick up this sword and carry it around?”

He said, “There are many that bare wooden sticks,

But this sword only a few would be willing to pick.

Who will pick up this sword, my son?

Who will answer the King’s call and see the job done?”

 

“The call is not easy. A man must weigh cost.

The cost is everything you have,

But the cost is not lost.

Who will pick up this sword, my son?

Who will answer the King’s call and see the job done?”

 

I looked at the sword as it gleamed from his hand,

Bright as ever though handed through the generations of man.

The old man watched as I looked at the sword.

“Will you pick it up my son, or need I ask more?”

 

I looked about me to see if there were others around,

All had fled. No one to be found.

They feared the sword that the old man bore.

They loved their lives and wanted no war.

But without the sword they could not see.

Because the sword is life and by it we are free.

“Who will pick up the sword my son?

Who will answer the King’s call and see the job done?”

 

“How can I pick up the sword and enter the battle, old man?

Am I a soldier? I have no battle plan.”

“Just obey the King!” yelled the old man.

“He loves you and will guide you. You need no battle plan.

Will you pick up the sword my son?

Will you serve the King and see the job done?”

 

I took the sword from the old man’s hand.

And from there into the battlefield I ran.

Many looked at me and called me “Fool,”

But I knew better. I was under the King’s rule.

My life I had given, which was a small thing,

But when I gave it, I had everything.

 

The Lord is my King, my Redeemer, my Life.

Until I’m called home, with His sword will I fight.