The Loss of a Warrior

The Loss of a Warrior

1/5/13

Throughout history we have read where cities, countries, territories and nations have had many great names in each of these specific societies and that these names have stood out to everyone around those areas as an example that all others look up to.  These well known figures have stood the test of time and have proven themselves as leaders for their families and nations and provided an inner strength to those who admired their talents.  Yet most of these figures live their lives in a quiet manner trying not to direct attention towards them and keeping a humble approach to the conflicts in which they are involved.  These people are the warriors of their realm and serve to advance their countrymen’s defenses in order to preserve their way of life. 

A warrior’s presence is not always warranted just on the typical battlefield.  It is common place to believe that warriors are only needed during times of stress and conflict which only places their usage during wartime.  Their presence on the battlefield is priceless and can turn the tide of a battle with just a few words or strategic positioning and when the foot soldiers look to these leaders for guidance it comes with commanding authority.  It has been traditionally said that to die on the battlefield is of the greatest honor and having studied military history and general war history for some time I would tend to agree with this statement.

This conception of a battlefield warrior cannot be denied but one large portion of being a warrior is sometimes overlooked and that is their conduct within their community.  Their presence and authority within their own circles is just as important and valuable as on the typical battlefield, with some people arguing the point that this aspect of their lives is served as the face of the true warrior.  This type of presence is heartfelt and true to the family nature which instills balance and desire to know what is taught to the people of the group and it allows for these people to teach other the values that have been incorporated into them by these warriors.  A warrior’s ultimate goal is for the fight not to happen but to be avoided by decisions of their people and of others to prevent the fight to occur, but if it must be an active fight they too are prepared for the ensuing fight.

A warrior also knows when to mention things that have been placed upon their heart and they also know when to sit and listen to those around them during harsh times.  It is a warrior’s gift to hear what is being said and then to say it correctly to the needed individuals in the correct timing.  It does not matter if the information I favorable or not but the warrior understands that the truth needs to be told to whomever it is relevant.  A warrior does not make things personal unless it is warranted and when this time comes it is never against the person or people in general but an instruction for them to realize and to understand that the path that they are on is harmful to themselves and for those around them.

Warriors never like to see a fight or a battle take place nor do they revel in its glory after the battle is over.  A true warrior looks over the battlefield and realizes that lives were lost and that there could have been another way to solve this issue.  A warrior also will keep the battle into focus and try to resolve future issues in another way so that lives can be saved and brought home to their families instead of burying them as the sun sets for the day.  A warrior loves to defend life but he also enjoys living life to its utmost more and they revel in knowing the fact that things that can be avoided before they happen, through their anticipation of the situation at hand that leads to peace within everyone’s land.

So when a true warrior leaves this world a visible void occurs within the community and a state of mourning begins.  The community begins to understand the warrior’s code and desires for their lives in the loss but they also have the hope and strength to know that the warrior cared and loved for each one them that knew about the warrior.  The warriors knowledge, mentality, love and honor is automatically passed to those who knew and respected their message and in this death that message rings loud and true to everyone who has heard the words of the warrior.

Many of the world’s population do not recognize a special kind of warrior, one who does not portray a warlike spirit but a spirit of meekness and humility.  We also do not recognize that this type of warrior does see battles and has witnessed many atrocious results of these battles, not always in the physical realm but mostly in the spiritual realm.  It is these battles that we tend to ignore in our lives and place them as insignificant but God delivers these battles to the spiritual eyes of a prayer warrior and the battle begins with a single spoken word.  Not all battles and issues are known to the prayer warrior but God gives certain details to the warriors that allow them to understand what is going on and what needs to be prayed about.  It is a special calling that requires an extraordinary person to accept for the conditions of the battles are of great importance to another person or group of people.

Today we celebrate the life of one of those prayer warriors.  It has been a privilege to know this warrior for a good majority of my life.  This warrior loved life itself, loved God with all of her heart, loved her family to the highest degree, and the loved church with a servant’s heart.  There is no question about it that everyone that knew this warrior understood that her goals were not of this world but those of God.  Many times this warrior held her family together, her small community together and her church together.  I cannot even imagine how many hours that she has prayed for all of the above mentioned situations yet has time to complete her everyday necessities within her own household.

This warrior is the exemplary example of a true prayer warrior that no matter what her own circumstances were she understood that God had a better plan for someone else’s life and that He showed her what to pray for within their lives.  These prayers were never vengeful nor were they damning but they were always for the person, group or church to see what God has for their lives and to be aware of the dangers that they were following.  Ad when you stop and think about what her life meant, that is exactly what God has planned for our lives for all of us to be so in tune with God that we desire only Him within our personal lives so that we can avoid the rust of the earth.

A quick story about this warrior before I close and it has to do with me.  I remember many times when I lived in the same area as this warrior.  I was a young punk who thought that I knew everything and that I was in control of my life no matter what people said to or about me, boy have I learned things since then.  But I remember that this warrior would come up to me and look me in the eye and say absolutely nothing to me, and she would just stand there and smile at me.  At the time I had no idea of what she was doing or what she had prayed about for my life I just thought she wanted a hug from me.  While this was true I had no idea or clue of what was actually occurring within her realm of activity and I also had no idea of exactly what battle was begin waged for my life, soul or spirit at that moment or in my future, but she did.

I thank this warrior for listening to God and that she spent those minutes, hours and days praying for me and my family.  I know this prayerful activity of hers continued for decades and continued until the day she left us.  I also know and believe that she prayed for each and every one of you in the same manner no matter what your circumstances were and are.  She loved each and every one of you with a Godly love that cannot easily be understood based on human reasoning but rest assured that as you seek God further, as she would have wanted, her prayers for you will come into light and you too can one day understand the significance of this valuable warrior. 

We all shall miss your presence Shirley but we comfort in the fact that you are now in front of God’s throne continuing the interceding for our lives on the same spiritual plane.  Your life continues within the lessons that you have taught us and through us we will be allowed to pass the good news of Christ to others.  We love you and will miss you but we shall never forget you.

DLB