Previous Reflections
REFLECTIONS
August 24, 2008
be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Ephesians 6:10-11
Bulletproof
Bad things only happen to someone else. There was a time in my life when I might have believed that. I lived recklessly with little fear. If there were potential consequences I chose to ignore them—although I did have some awakening moments.
One such moment came on a wintery Monday morning in a freshman classroom. I took my assigned seat and settled in as usual, but this was not a usual day. The desk next to me was empty—my classmate was not there. A strange sensation came over me with the realization that he never would be there again. An accident had taken his life only two days before. As it all sank in I thought if it happened to him, it could happen to me. My friend wasn’t bulletproof and neither was I.
Perhaps young David thought he was bulletproof too when he shed the king’s armor and prepared himself to face the Philistine giant with only five smooth stones. Armies had feared the imposing giant, but David was young and fearless. Perhaps he felt invulnerable, but there was more to it.
David often placed his life in harm’s way, often risking his earthly life; but he wore the full armor of God. The belt of truth was buckled around his waist as he rested in green pastures. His feet were fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace when he walked by still waters. He wore the breastplate of righteousness as he followed the paths God led him. The flaming bullets of evil were deflected by the shield of faith when he faced danger. And together with the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit comforted him when he walked through the valley of the shadow of death.[1] David was a mortal man, yet he lived fearlessly.
Since that wintery Monday morning there have been many other moments to remind me that bad things can happen to anyone. Injury is but an instant away, and life can be extinguished in the blink of an eye. Age and experience have taught me to approach life with more caution than I had in my youth, and that no earthly life is bulletproof. But eternal life is another matter.
David was a mortal man who wore the full armor of God. With it his eternal life was bulletproof. With the full armor of God, so is ours.
“You are the light of the world,”
Richard Ì
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