The Armor-Bearer

As a teacher, I have often learned that throughout the course of a unit or lesson, I learn more than the students.  Sometimes I develop a deeper understanding of the content than ever before.  Sometimes I learn more about my students.  Sometimes I learn something entirely new.  There's a saying along those lines that you don't really learn a concept until you teach it, and I have found that to be true over and over again throughout my 18 years in the classroom. 

But this lesson has been highlighted for me again and again as a Sunday school teacher too.  The lesson today was from I Samuel 14.  Jonathan, the king of Israel's son,  decides to test God and do what he can to help his dad's army defeat the Philistines.  He asks his young armor-bearer to go with him.  The armor-bearer knew that going with Jonathan would probably mean death, but he chose to go anyway.  Jonathan knew moving into enemy territory probably meant death, but he knew God was more powerful than the gigantic army he was facing.  The message of the lesson today was loyalty.  One of the ways we show loyalty, the curriculum suggested, was through keeping our commitments and standing by them when things get rough.  I am not very loyal.  There have been times in my life when I haven't followed through on something I said I would do because I was busy.  Tired.  Overextended.  Just didn't want to do it.  It is easy for me to make excuses. 

My husband is the opposite.  His fatal flaw, were he a Greek hero, would be his loyalty to others and his commitments at all costs.  I wish I could say his loyalty and my lack thereof haven't been the fodder for disagreements in our marriage.  I wish I could say I haven't resented the times he insisted on honoring commitments when I would rather have bailed out.  What I can say is that I have been very wrong on those occasions;  my arrogance, pride, and selfishness have been in the way.  

I'm not sure what the kids took away from today, but if they got that God honors loyalty, I'll be happy.  Loyalty isn't easy.  Keeping your word can become excruciating. Or just plain inconvenient.  It's not easy to be an armor bearer, following your leader even when the cost seems unbearably high.  I'm glad my children have such an example in their dad, and I am so incredibly grateful that my heavenly Father continues to show me grace and prod me with examples of what I need to become.