I daydream a lot.

One recurrent daydream is about is what it would like be if there were still a warrior class in our culture. A class that was charged with the duty of protecting the society, enforcing justice, guarding, defending, etc. It is a class that existed for thousands of years in nearly every society, but with the advent of firearms and modern warfare, has pretty much disappeared. This class was generally set apart from the rest of society by the fact that they wore swords. A very visible sign of their station, charge, purpose, authority and responsibility.

Part of me believes that some men (and possibly women) are born warriors. They have it in their blood the same way someone is born and artist, musician, poet, engineer, politician, etc. There is, however, no way for a born warrior to express their birthright, except maybe in sports, possibly in the military and law enforcement.

What would it be like, in our society, if there were still a warrior class, that still wore swords?

If you didn’t already know, I think that deep down I was meant to be a warrior. I was thinking how odd it would be if I were allowed to/expected to/charged with wearing, and when necessary, weilding a sword. It’s especially odd to think of this in the context of sitting in a meeting about a Web application you are developing, wearing a sword, expected to pull it out and use it if necessary.

It also occurs to me how infrequently it is necessary to use a sword in our culture. Even if people wore them, it would be very rare to need it. (Unless you want to argue that the presence of weaponry increases violence.)

Would my skill with the blade fade over time through disuse? It would if I didn’t train. Would my proficiency in battle fade over time? It would if I did not regularly go to battle. Warriors become fat, lazy, and undisciplined in times of peace if they are not constanly preparing themselves, drilling, training, studying. If swords are not properly maintained, they will rust, dull, and stick inside the scabbard, making it very difficult to draw when it is actually needed, losing the edge of speed you need in combat.

The fact is, if you are a Christian, you are a warrior, you are in a battle, you have a sword, and you need to use it. If you do not, it will rust and dull and stick inside the scabbard and you will lose in battle. You need to train, drill, study, and go to battle regularly. You need to fight instead of flee, engage instead of retreat; or you will become fat, lazy, and undisciplined.

I am currently feeling fat, lazy, and undisciplined, but have recently been awoken to that fact. I intend to do something about.

Of course I speak in metaphors that point to a spiritual truth, but the spiritual realm is just as real and active and integral to our lives as the physical one.