Warrior Poet

“Warrior poet” The word evokes lots of images. The first is that of a mighty warrior dripping in sweat and blood muscles taught, their hands white from gripping their weapon in battle so tight, rage in their eyes, nostrils flaring, feet shoulder length apart waiting for the next attack. The second is a much gentler image. It is that of a poet, a lover of life. A scholarly look upon their face as they gaze into a piece of paper pen in hand.

The two could not be more different. The warrior ready for battle, the poet softly contempletating the world from a different viewpoint. A warrior is someone who resists the will to flee a poet is someone who see’s the world through softer eyes. A warrior kills a poet saves.

King David of the Bible was a warrior poet. Some times he was all warrior and other times he was all poet. When he was most effective for God he was both. Check out Psalms 27:3 one of David’s psalms (a psalm is a song or poem) to God.

“Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will know no fear. Even if they attack me, I remain confident. The one thing I ask of the Lord-the thing I seek most-is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”

Now that guy knew what he was fighting for, the original purpose driven life. As a Christian I sometimes forget to be a warrior poet. It’s too easy to just declare war on others; it’s much harder to see the poetry within them. Donald Miller in his book “Searching for God knows what” says when we declare war on something we are only left with two choices: lock it up or kill it. I’m tired of warrior Christians. I pray for more warrior poets. We need Christians willing to die in battle, but not a battle against people, a battle for people. Too many mainstream Christians are killing the very hostages they should be trying to save. But more on that later…. Are you a warrior or a warrior poet? May the everlasting God of all creation reveal to you today the answer to that question.