Knights Whose Armor Doesn't Squeak

                                              John Robert Howell



        The thought of yourself as Sir Lancelot or Joan of Arc astride a magnificent charger in your resplendent suit of proofed armor may be more risible than romantic, but no doubt many an armored gladiator was glad of his wrinkle-free attire as he emerged victorious from the lists.

        Today, the idea of wearing steel clothes is rather passe, a throwback to the days when a poorly designed visor might garner you a fatal blow from the blind side by Sir Wilberforce Periwinkle's mace.  On the other hand one might indeed find considerable comfort in the thought of being safely ensconced in impenetrable protective clothing.  To go through the day without having to worry about accident, assault, or physical misfortune would certainly appeal to many of us, even if fishing for change in an inner pocket might require some extra time and a screw driver.

        Effective, lasting security and protection are just as desirable and necessary today as they were in days of yore, if not more so.  It is highly important that we don each morning armor against fear, sickness, accident, failure, personal inharmony, unethical behavior, and financial woes.  But what kind of armor protects us against all these challenges?  The spiritual armor of God.  This armor is described in some detail in the well-known verses in Ephesians: "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."  (Eph 6:11-17)  His breastplate, footwear, shield, helmet, and sword are specifically described as righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and Spirit, respectively.

        We put on this invoilable armor through prayer, through humble, importunate, daily communion with God.  We will embody, and hence express, righteousness, faith, salvation, and love as the result of our efficacious prayer and be protected from all forms of evil and error.  The Discoverer of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, says in her short, incisive admonition, "What Our Leader Says":  "Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort."  (Miscellany 210:7-9)  This armor has the added advantage of being unconfining and weightless, since it's spiritual and require none of the complicated maneuvers required of the wearer of a metal suit.

        Like the medieval armor, however, spiritual armor does take time to put on.  Thoroughness in our spiritual preparations for the day is essential.  We need to take time to accouter ourselves with the complete armor described in Ephesians.  We will thus be better able to meet and overcome any contingency or emergency, since God's armor is faultless and impenetrable.  And it never has any of those nasty little chinks human armor is wont to possess.  Haste in prayer and fretful, perfunctory listening to God can lead to chinks in our spiritual armor, so thorough preparation is necessary.

        We also need to keep in mind that God is all-powerful and as willing to guide and protect his sons and daughters, each of us, as a human father his children.  Evil, error, and all the troubles associated with the belief of life in matter are actually powerless, and the armor of Christ will deflect their illusory blades, arrows, and bludgeons throughout our daily activities.  It is better to repel error's attack than cope with the consequences of its invading and injuring our mental domain.

        I have a faint recollection from my childhood of a poem titled "The Knight Whose Armor Didn't Squeak".  It had some delightful illustrations as well.  I forget the knight's name, but he was unhorsed when he gave his position away because his armor squeaked.  We obviously don't want to fall prey to some malingering foot soldier who is knocking a few splinters off his cudgel in the peace and cool of a sylvan glade, hears the squeak of our approach, and seizes the opportunity for a surprise attack and some easy pickings.

        Like the knight's, spiritual armor must not only be carefully put on, but maintained.  Thought needs to be vigilantly watched over and replenished, and the rewards for this alertness and sedulousness are health, happiness, peace, safety, and success.  No squeaks, no tweaks.  But it would not be possible if this weren't what God desired for us.

        There is never a need to make do with rusty, ill-fitting, inadequate protection.  The armor of God's making is always a perfect, custom fit and able to meet any need with flawless integrity.  Let each of us be a knight whose armor doesn't squeak.