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KNOWING WHAT REALLY MATTERS

3/29/2012

Perhaps you have seen the piece going around about the student who obtained a grade of 0% on an exam. I have to say that, after reading his purported answers below, one might be tempted to give him a grade of 100%. You can decide as you read the questions and the answers he is said to have given.

Q1: In which battle did Napoleon die?
A1: In his last battle.

Q2: Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?
A2: At the bottom of the page.

Q3: The River Ravi flows in which state?
A3: Liquid.

Q4: What is the main reason for divorce?
A4: Marriage.

Q5: What is the main reason for failure?
A5: Exams.

Q6: What can you never eat for breakfast?
A6: Lunch and dinner.

Q7: What looks like half an apple?
A7: The other half.

Q8: If you throw a red stone into the blue sea, what it will become?
A8: It will become wet.

Q9: How can a man go eight days without sleeping?
A9: No problem; he sleeps at night.

Q10: How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A10: You will never find an elephant that has only one hand.

Q11: If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have?
A11: You would have very large hands.

Q12: If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
A12: No time at all; the wall is already built.

Q13: How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
A13: Anyway you want, as concrete floors are very hard to crack.

Life has taught me what this piece illustrates well: that, sometimes, those who might appear to know the least in reality know far more than we think. In fact, life has pretty much confirmed for me that common sense trumps book learning most every day of the week.

This is why I so love the book of Proverbs in the Bible. It is a collection of hundreds of pithy little sayings, all of which are chock full of common sense advice for the living of life. Here are some of the more famous ones:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction fools despise.
-- Proverbs 1:7

My son, forget not my teaching, keep in mind my commands; for many days, and years of life, and peace, will they bring you. Let not kindness and fidelity leave you; bind them around your neck; then will you win favor and good esteem before God and man.
-- Proverbs 3:1-4

Happy the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding!
-- Proverbs 3:13

The lips of an adulteress drip with honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil; but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, as sharp as a two-edged sword.
-- Proverbs 5:3-4

There are six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to him; Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; A heart that plots wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, The false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
-- Proverbs 6:16-19

Men despise not the thief of he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry; yet if he be caught he must pay back sevenfold; all the wealth of his house he may yield up.
-- Proverbs 6:30-31

Say to Wisdom, "You are my sister!" call Understanding, "Friend!"
-- Proverbs 7:4

A wise son makes his father glad, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother.
-- Proverbs 10:1

The slack hand impoverishes, but the hand of the diligent enriches.
-- Proverbs 10:4

Hatred stirs up disputes, but love covers all offenses.
-- Proverbs 10:12

The lips of the just know how to please, but the mouth of the wicked, how to pervert.
-- Proverbs 10:32

When pride comes, disgrace comes; but with the humble is wisdom.
-- Proverbs 11:2

Wealth is useless on the day of wrath, but virtue saves from death.
-- Proverbs 11:4

The virtue of the upright saves them, but the faithless are caught in their own intrigue.
-- Proverbs 11:6

A newsmonger reveals secrets, but a trustworthy man keeps a confidence.
-- Proverbs 11:13

Truly the evil man shall not go unpunished, but those who are just shall escape.
-- Proverbs 11:21

He who seeks the good commands favor, but he who pursues evil will have evil befall him.
-- Proverbs 11:27

He who loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
-- Proverbs 12:1

A worthy wife is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful one is like rot in his bones.
-- Proverbs 12:4

The plans of the just are legitimate; the designs of the wicked are deceitful.
-- Proverbs 12:5

Better a lowly man who supports himself than one of assumed importance who lacks bread.
-- Proverbs 12:9

The way of the fool seems right in his own eyes, but he who listens to advice is wise.
-- Proverbs 12:15

Truthful lips endure forever, the lying tongue, for only a moment.
-- Proverbs 12:19

A shrewd man conceals his knowledge, but the hearts of fools gush forth folly.
-- Proverbs 12:23

The diligent hand will govern, but the slothful will be enslaved.
-- Proverbs 12:24

He who guards his mouth protects his life; to open wide one's lips brings downfall.
-- Proverbs 13:3

One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
-- Proverbs 13:7

Wealth quickly gotten dwindles away, but amassed little by little, it grows.
-- Proverbs 13:11

He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him takes care to chastise him.
-- Proverbs 13:24

Even by his neighbor the poor man is hated, but the friends of the rich are many.
-- Proverbs 14:20

He who oppresses the poor blasphemes his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy glorifies him.
-- Proverbs 14:31

The king favors the intelligent servant, but the worthless one incurs his wrath.
-- Proverbs 14:35

A mild answer calms wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
-- Proverbs 15:1

Every day is miserable for the depressed, but a lighthearted man has a continual feast.
-- Proverbs 15:15

He who is greedy of gain brings ruin on his own house, but he who hates bribes will live.
-- Proverbs 15:27

Better a little with virtue, than a large income with injustice.
-- Proverbs 16:8

Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by virtuous living.
-- Proverbs 16:31

A patient man is better than a warrior, and he who rules his temper, than he who takes a city.
-- Proverbs 16:32

Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.
-- Proverbs 17:1

Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their parentage.
-- Proverbs 17:6

He who is a friend is always a friend, and a brother is born for the time of stress.
-- Proverbs 17:17

The fool takes no delight in understanding, but rather in displaying what he thinks.
-- Proverbs 18:2

A brother is a better defense than a strong city, and a friend is like the bars of a castle.
-- Proverbs 18:19

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who make it a friend shall eat its fruit.
-- Proverbs 18:21

He who finds a wife finds happiness; it is a favor he receives from the Lord.
-- Proverbs 18:22

Some friends bring ruin on us, but a true friend is more loyal than a brother.
-- Proverbs 18:24

The false witness will not go unpunished, and he who utters lies will not escape.
-- Proverbs 19:5

The foolish son is ruin to his father, and the nagging of a wife is a persistent leak.
-- Proverbs 19:13

When a man walks in integrity and justice, happy are his children after him!
-- Proverbs 20:7

Even by his manners the child betrays whether his conduct is innocent and right.
-- Proverbs 20:11

A newsmonger reveals secrets; so have nothing to do with a babbler!
-- Proverbs 20:19

The glory of young men is their strength, and the dignity of old men is gray hair.
-- Proverbs 20:29

He who makes a fortune by a lying tongue is chasing a bubble over deadly snares.
-- Proverbs 21:6

He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will himself also call and not be heard.
-- Proverbs 21:13

It is better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome and vexatious wife.
-- Proverbs 21:19

Some are consumed with avarice all the day, but the just man gives unsparingly.
-- Proverbs 21:26

There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel, against the Lord.
-- Proverbs 21:30

Train a boy in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not swerve from it.
-- Proverbs 22:6

Injure not the poor because they are poor, nor crush the needy at the gate; for the Lord will defend their cause, and will plunder the lives of those who plunder them. Be not friendly with a hotheaded man, nor the companion of a wrathful man,
lest you learn his ways, and get yourself into a snare.
-- Proverbs 22:22-25

Listen to your father who begot you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
-- Proverbs 23:22

Let your father and mother have joy; let her who bore you exult.
-- Proverbs 23:25

A wise man is more powerful than a strong man, and a man of knowledge than a man of might;
for it is by wise guidance that you wage your war, and the victory is due to a wealth of counselors.
-- Proverbs 24:5-6

Be not a witness against your neighbor without just cause, thus committing folly with your lips.
-- Proverbs 24:28

Discuss your case with your neighbor, but another man's secret do not disclose;
lest, hearing it, he reproach you, and your ill repute cease not.
-- Proverbs 25:9-10

Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he have more than enough of you, and hate you.
-- Proverbs 25:17

The door turns on its hinges, the sluggard, on his bed!
-- Proverbs 26:14

Boast not of tomorrow, for you know not what any day may bring forth.
-- Proverbs 27:1

Let another praise you - not your own mouth; someone else - not your own lips.
-- Proverbs 27:2

He who seduces the upright in an evil way will himself fall into his own pit. [And blameless men will gain prosperity.]
-- Proverbs 28:10

The man who flatters his neighbor is spreading a net under his feet.
-- Proverbs 29:5

The rod of correction gives wisdom, but a boy left to his whims disgraces his mother.
-- Proverbs 29:15

Correct your son, and he will bring you comfort, and give delight to your soul.
-- Proverbs 29:17

When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize. She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
-- Proverbs 31:10-12

Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
-- Proverbs 31:30

Learn these lessons, and I assure you that, whatever you make on exams, you will do just fine in the school of life.

HEAD GAMES

3/26/2012

In Ephesians 6:17, Paul admonishes us to put on the “Helmet of Salvation” as a part of the full armor of God. I believe this verse has to do the head games Satan loves to play with us as believers. He knows that if he can get into our head, as it were, and get us to doubting both God’s power and God's promises, then he already has us on the run.

In his book Head Game, (Thomas Nelson, 2007, p. 309), author Tim Downs addresses this tactic of Satan He writes:

Psy-ops stands for Psychological Operations, a form of warfare as old as the art of war itself. An early example of this can be found in the battle strategies of Alexander the Great. On one occasion when his army was in full retreat from a larger army, he gave orders to his armorers to construct oversized breastplates and helmets that would fit men 7 or 8 feet tall.

As his army would retreat, he would leave these items for the pursuing army to discover. When the enemy would find the oversized gear, they would be demoralized by the thought of fighting such giant soldiers, and they would abandon their pursuit.

Satan would love to deceive us into thinking that he is bigger or greater than he really is, leaving us demoralized by fear or doubt.

It is important for us to give the Devil his due, for he does indeed have multiple “schemes”; and he has used all of them with devastating effectiveness in the lives of a great many people. However, when we compare him to the God we serve, he pales.

When we realize the truth of John’s statement that “the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (I John 4:4 NIV), then we can say with supreme confidence, as did Jesus,“Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me” (Matthew 16:23 KJV).

THE LITTLE THINGS

3/23/2012

I grew up in back the 60’s and 70’s; and we all had our favorite rock and roll groups at the time. Even in those days, however, we instinctively understood that many of our musical heroes were considered prima donnas.

They were known for making outlandish demands in their contracts with concert promoters. Van Halen in particular is known for having insisted in their contracts that "a bowl of M&M's be provided backstage, but with every single brown M&M removed." They further stipulated that, if the band ever did discover that the bowl had any brown M&Ms in it, they could cancel the concert and still get full payment. Wow! Talk about demanding!

However, in his book, The Checklist Manifesto, author Atul Gawande points out that there was actually a pretty good reason for having that clause in the contract. The absence of those M&Ms could be seen as a matter of life or death. He quotes from lead singer David Lee Roth's memoir:

Roth explained [that] … "Van Halen was the first band to take huge productions into tertiary, third-level markets. We'd pull up with nine 18-wheeler trucks, full of gear, where the standard was three trucks, max. And there were many, many technical errors—whether it was the girders couldn't support the weight, or the flooring would sink in, or the doors weren't big enough to move the gear through. The contract rider read like a … Yellow Pages because there was so much equipment, and so many human beings to make it function."

So just as a little test, buried somewhere in the middle of the rider, would be Article 126, the no-brown-M&Ms clause. "When I would walk backstage, if I saw a brown M&M in that bowl," [Roth] wrote, "well, we'd line-check the entire production. Guaranteed you'd run into a problem." The mistakes could be life-threatening … In Colorado, the band found that the local promoters had failed to read the weight requirements and that the staging would have fallen through the arena floor.

In Jesus’ famous parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, he has the Master commend the faithful stewards by saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” In Luke’s version (Luke 16), Jesus says, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." All of a sudden, Van Halen’s request doesn’t look so ridiculous, does it?

For my part, I am learning that no matter what God asks of me, no matter how seemingly small the task, it is imperative that I give it my best. If I do not show myself trustworthy in the small areas, how can I ever hope to handle the larger ones? So remember, be faithful in the small things, in the small ways, and with those whom the world considers small people. It may appear that no one is looking; but I assure you that God is!

Source: Atul Gawande, The Checklist Manifesto (Metropolitan Books, 2009), available at http://books.google.com/books. More information can also be found at: http://www.compliancebuilding.com/2009/08/03/compliance-van-halen-and-brown-mms/.

SPARE WHEEL OR STEERING WHEEL

3/19/2012

Several individuals asked me about the piece I referenced in my message this past Sunday, with regard to wheels on the car. I thought I would post it today.

I do not know the origin of this particular piece. (It appears on numerous webpages in various forms.) However, it does contain a number of good insights for daily living. Enjoy.

1] Prayer is not a spare wheel that you pull out when in trouble; it is a steering wheel that directs us in the right path throughout life.

2] Do you know why a car's windshield is so large and the rear view mirror is so small? Because our past is not as important as our future. So, look ahead and move on.

3] Friendship is like a book. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

4] All things in life are temporary. If going well enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong don’t worry, they can't last long either.

5] Old friends are like gold! New friends are diamonds! If you get a diamond, don't forget the gold! Because to hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!

6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!

7] When God solves your problems, you have faith in His abilities; when God doesn't solve your problems, He has faith in your abilities.

8] A blind person once asked a minister: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision."

9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them; and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10] Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles; it takes away today’s peace.

I LOVE MY ATTORNEY

3/15/2012

A friend of mine works for a very large corporation that does several millions of dollars’ worth of business yearly. When he first sent this to me, I assumed from the subject line that it either had something to do with his job or else some component of his daily life.

When I read a little closer, I realized that it had less to do with anything in this world and more to do with the next. I also realized that it had as much to do with me as it did with him. Perhaps you will see the relevance for yourself as well.

I LOVE MY ATTORNEY

After living what I felt was a 'decent' life, my time on earth came to the end. The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a court house. The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.

As I looked around I saw the 'prosecutor'. He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen. I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me, I felt I knew Him.

The corner door opened and there appeared the Judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room. I couldn't take my eyes off of Him. As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, 'Let us begin.'

The prosecutor rose and said, 'My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell.' He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the past when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life, and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank.

I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about. As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all.

I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I'd done? Satan finished with a fury and said, 'This man belongs in hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise.'

When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench. The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan, and beckoned Him to come forward. As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in His full splendor and majesty. I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Savior.

He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, 'HI, DAD,' and then He turned to address the court. 'Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won't deny any of these allegations. And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this man deserves to be punished.'

Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, 'However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted Me as his Savior, so he is Mine.'

My Lord continued with, 'His name is written in the Book of Life, and no one can snatch him from Me. Satan still does not understand yet. This man is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.' As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, 'There is nothing else that needs to be done. I've done it all..'

The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down. The following words bellowed from His lips... 'This man is free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full. Case dismissed.'

I asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next, 'Have you ever lost a case?' Christ lovingly smiled and said, 'Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you - Paid In Full.'

In 1 John 2:1, we read: My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Praise God that our Divine Defense Attorney stands ready to go before Almighty God and plead on our behalf.

LIVE FOR TODAY!

3/12/2012

Recently, I received the following story from a close friend. I found it quite thought provoking. Perhaps you will as well.

A friend of mine opened his wife's dresser drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package. 'This,' he said, 'isn't any ordinary package.' He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.

'She got this the first time we went to New York, eight or nine years ago. She has never put it on, and was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is it.' He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral home. His wife, you see, had just died.

He turned to me and said: 'Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion'. I think those words changed my life!

Now I read more and clean less. I sit on the porch without worrying about anything. I spend more time with my family, and less at work. I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through. I no longer keep anything. I use crystal glasses every day.

I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it. I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to. The words 'Someday...' and ' One Day...' are fast fading away from my dictionary. If it's worth seeing, listening, or doing, then I want to see, listen, or do it now!

I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning. This nobody can tell. I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends. Or she might called old friends to make peace over past quarrels. I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favorite food.

It's these small things that I would regret not doing; if I knew my time had come. Each day, each hour, each minute, is special. Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one.

SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT

3/8/2012

Many years ago, I first heard a well-known story about Johannes Kepler, the famed astronomer.

Kepler was much troubled by one of his friends who denied the existence of God and took the view of the universe which is so prevalent today, namely, that it came into being of itself by mechanical methods.

In order to convince his friend, Kepler constructed a model of the sun with the planets circling round it. When his friend came into the Observatory and saw the beautiful model, he exclaimed with delight, 'How beautiful it is! Who made it?' And Kepler carelessly answered, 'No one made it: it made itself.'

His friend looked at him and said, 'Nonsense, tell me who made it.' Kepler then replied, 'Friend, you say that this little toy could not make itself. It is but a very weak imitation of this great universe which, I understood, you believe did make itself.'

I cannot help but think about this story whenever, on occasion, we sing in church the famous hymn, How Great Thou Art, first penned by Carl Boberg and translated into English by Stuart K. Hine, but made famous by George Beverly Shea. Perhaps you have heard these words.

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder

Consider all the worlds Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Savior, God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, My Savior, God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

The second stanza continues the theme of seeing the majesty of God in creation.

When through the woods and forest glades I wander

I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Savior, God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, My Savior, God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

But the God Who created us also redeemed us. Genesis chapter 3 records the terrible events of the fall of mankind. But Praise God that He did not leave us in our broken condition. No sooner had Adam and Eve sinned against God than He had set about redeeming His fallen creation.

And thus, the great hymn is not complete without the third and fourth stanzas.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;

Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;

That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,

He bled and died to take away my sin…

When Christ shall come, with shouts of acclamation,

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow in humble adoration

And there proclaim, "My God, how great Thou art!"

Amen!

LEARNING TO TRUST GOD

3/5/2012

The story is told of a certain king who did not believe in the goodness of God. But he had a slave who, in all circumstances, would always say to him, “My king, do not be discouraged, because everything God does is perfect. He makes no mistakes!”

One day they went hunting; and along the way a wild animal attacked the king. His slave managed to kill the animal, but could not prevent his majesty from losing a finger.

Furious and without showing gratitude for being saved, the noble man asked "Is God good? If He was good, I would not have been attacked and lost my finger."

The slave replied: "My king, despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good, and he knows why these things happened. What God does is perfect. He is never wrong!"

Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

Later, the King left for another hunt, this time alone. He was captured by savages who engaged in human sacrifices.

On the altar and ready to sacrifice the nobleman, the savages discovered that their victim did not have one of his fingers. According to them, only a whole person with all his/her parts intact could be offered to the gods. The King without a finger was deemed an abominable sacrifice for their gods. So they released the King.

Upon his return to the palace, the King authorized the release of his slave. He received the slave affectionately.

He asked his slave, "My dear, God was really good to me! I was almost killed by the wild men, but for lack of a single finger, I was let go! But I have a question: if God is so good, why did he allow me to put you in jail?"

The slave answered, "My King, if I had gone with you on this hunt, I would have been sacrificed instead because I have no missing finger. Remember everything God does is perfect. He is never wrong. He made you keep me in jail so I would not be with you on the hunt."

So often, we complain about life, and the negative things that happen to us, forgetting that nothing is random and that everything has a purpose. Every morning, as you start out, offer your day to God. Ask Him to inspire your thoughts, guide your actions, and ease your feelings. And do not be afraid. God is never wrong!

Both the path of God and the Word of God are perfect. His way is best for all those who trust in Him. As the Bible says in 2 Samuel 22: 31: “As for God, His Way is perfect: The Lord’s Word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.”

THE RING OF INTEGRITY

3/2/2012

We are continuing our series on spiritual warfare on Sunday mornings at our church. Our text for this series has been Ephesians 6:10-20. Here Paul admonishes us as believers to put on the whole armor of God, which he likens to that of the uniform of a Roman soldier.

Down through the years, lots of books and articles have been written on this particular passage of Scripture. Paul John Di Frances, in his book Reclaiming the Ethical High Ground (Reliance Books, 2002), offers the following insight.

During the time of the twelve Caesars, the Roman army would conduct morning inspections. As the inspecting Centurion would come in front of each legionnaire, the soldier would strike with his right fist the armor breastplate that covered his heart. The armor had to be strongest there in order to protect the heart from the sword thrusts and from arrow strikes. As the soldier struck his armor, he would shout "integritas" [in-teg-ri-tas], which in Latin means material wholeness, completeness, and entirety. The inspecting Centurion would listen closely for this affirmation and also for the ring that well kept armor would give off. Satisfied that the armor was sound and that the soldier beneath it was protected, he would then move on to the next man.

At about the same time, the Praetorians or imperial bodyguard were ascending into power and influence; drawn from the best "politically correct" soldiers of the legions, they received the finest equipment and armor. They no longer had to shout "integritas" to signify that their armor was sound. Instead, as they struck their breastplate, they would shout "Hail Caesar," to signify that their heart belonged to the imperial personage—not to their unit—not to an institution—not to a code of ideals. They armored themselves to serve the cause of a single man.

A century passed and the rift between the legion and the imperial bodyguard and its excesses grew larger. To signify the difference between the two organizations, the legionnaire, upon striking his armor would no longer shout "integritas," but instead would shout "integer" [in-te-ger].

Integer means undiminished—complete—perfect. It not only indicated that the armor was sound, it also indicated that the soldier wearing the armor was sound of character. He was complete in his integrity…his heart was in the right place…his standards and morals were high. He was not associated with the immoral conduct that was rapidly becoming the signature of the Praetorian Guards.

The armor of integrity continued to serve the legion well. For over four centuries they held the line against the marauding Goths and Vandals; but by 383 A.D., the social decline that infected the republic and the Praetorian Guard had its effects upon the legion.

As a 4th century Roman general wrote, "When because of negligence and laziness, parade ground drills were abandoned, the customary armor began to feel heavy since the soldiers rarely, if ever, wore it. Therefore, they first asked the emperor to set aside the breastplates and mail and then the helmets. So our soldiers fought the Goths without any protection for the heart and head and were often beaten by archers. Although there were many disasters, which led to the loss of great cities, no one tried to restore the armor to the infantry. They took their armor off and when the armor came off—so too came their integrity." It was only a matter of a few years until the legion rotted from within and was unable to hold the frontiers. The barbarians were at the gates.

How well we would do to recognize the truth of this illustration. As Christians, especially in this day and age, we must never remove or armor. We must never forget who we serve and why.