The Right Weapon

A light saber has become the marvelous weapon of choice for the younger generations in my family. This relatively harmless, Star Wars-inspired toy has everything: bright colors, buttons to push, realistic sounds, and bright lights. Levi and Tobin love to compare their light sabers; they engage in make-believe battles almost every time they get together. I've been told that Tobin and Andy spar with each other often, too, most recently outdoors, by the light of the blood-red full moon. How exciting for a three-year-old and his dad!

Light Sabers

Others in my family have used more dangerous weapons (real ones!) when they hunt for ducks, pheasants, or deer. My dad, most of my uncles, and at least one aunt, as well as various cousins and a nephew, all are proficient marksmen. Their weapons of choice include all kinds of shotguns, rifles, and handguns. It is important for them to choose the right weapon for the particular type of game they are hunting; shotguns work best for small game, while larger animals, like deer, require more powerful rifles. Some of my relatives hunt with a crossbow, as well. This descendant of the iconic bow and arrow looks a bit like a rifle with wings, and requires much skill and patience for a hunter who wants a little more challenge.

A Crossbow

When I was a young girl, my dad looked for a challenge of another kind. He learned how to use an old-fashioned black powder rifle, called a muzzle loader. A muzzle loading weapon is loaded using a multi-step process to measure and pour the proper amount of black powder into the front of the barrel, and then insert a round ball and lubricated patch, or a more modern version of a bullet, into the barrel, using a ramrod to push the ball carefully into place. The last step, priming the rifle, is best done when the hunter is seated in his hunting spot, because it is too dangerous to carry around a loaded and primed muzzle loader.

The main drawback, as I recall, was that he could only load one shot at a time, so he had just one chance to shoot at his target before reloading. However, Dad was a good shot no matter what weapon he chose to use, and rarely went home without a deer.

A Muzzle Loader

Dad often drew a small crowd to watch him at target practice with the muzzle loader. People were always fascinated with the loading process, and the deafening roar and black smoke that was produced every time Dad fired the gun. I fired the gun more than once. I have just one thing to say about my experience: that gun had quite a kick!

Even though it required a lot of time and patience, I'm sure that using a muzzle loading rifle was a big step up from bows and arrows, spears, catapults, and other ancient forms of weaponry.

I've always been intrigued with the Bible story about David and his simple weapon of choice, a slingshot. David was just a boy when he fashioned his sling, probably from leather. His sling was more primitive than the familiar Y-shaped slingshot that young boys still like to use. For ammunition, David would have picked up small, smooth rocks from the ground, just as modern-day kids do. The sling itself was relatively easy to use, but required much practice to achieve any kind of accuracy.

A Simple Sling

According to the Bible story, found in 1 Samuel 17, David was just a shepherd boy when he volunteered to slay Goliath, who was terrorizing the Israelites. King Saul dressed David in full armor, but David, who was not used to wearing the heavy armor, removed it, relying on God to protect him from the nine-foot tall giant. Nearly every Sunday School student knows how David killed Goliath with a single stone to the giant's forehead, and how he gave God the glory for freeing the Israelites from the Philistines' tyranny.

The Bible also speaks about the Christian's greatest weapon, the sword of the Spirit. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17)  As Christians, we can't effectively fight evil with man-made weapons. Rocks, arrows, and bullets just don't work when we fight against the devil. God's own words, which are found in the Bible, are just what we need.  He has given us the right weapon.  Now, we need to use it.

The Sword of the Spirit

Blessed Lord, you have caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that, by patience and the comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.  The Book of Common Prayer, 1662