Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday November 13, 2007

As I researched my long list of quotes looking for something appropriate to properly honor our Vets on Sunday past, I kept thinking of the grand book by Stephen Ambrose, Band of Brothers. My recall while not perfect did not fail me as the magnificent book and later Award winning TV series, pays homage to all who march off to war in defense of freedom came to mind. Ambrose includes a famous, though mostly forgotten quote from Shakespeare's King Henry V when the beleaguered king addressed his troops prior to the Battle of Agincourt. The piece is often listed in books of poems and prose as Saint Crispin's Day.

A phrase from the piece is the source of the title, "Band of Brothers"

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother."

You ask, why is a redneck mountain preacher quoting Shakespeare? Because I can, and because the men addressed by King Henry decided for greatness when they entered into a relationship that most people do not have or understand in our Casper Milquetoast world.

As a spectator world we do not understand the camaraderie experienced by the veterans, by the great sports teams or by those who at great cost have pursued their dreams and captured them.

Camaraderie can result only when certain conditions are met, included in these conditions are unity of purpose and a certain actual physical, emotional or even spiritual pain and sometimes some members paying the supreme sacrifice. Camaraderie can only result among those who know in their heart of hearts that they each have given their absolute best to the battle, game or effort. Take a look around and see that near invisible bond the ties people of the same profession together, those who have to use the term, "paid their dues" and the thinly veiled contempt in which they hold those who try to gain admittance to the group having failed to pay the perceived price, but somehow they walk among the heroes. The inept "bosses" son is legendary in literature of all tongues. The wealthy businessman who "writes" a best seller knowing how to manipulate the system finds when he or she is around real writers who have suffered untold privations as their skills were honed to the fine edge that now marks their work, is merely tolerated and never accepted for as Jesus said, they climbed up another way.

I was invited to speak to a group of men who had suffered as prisoners of war during the Korean conflict. They were older than me and I shared with them the things I had learned and how deeply I appreciated their resoluteness in suffering for our country. They were polite and while not condescending, there was no question that I was not in their league. While I was at home going through the privations associated with our elementary school system, they were enduring the unbelievable torture and mind breaking techniques of the Chinese and North Koreans. Very wisely I did not mention the torture Mrs. Whiteoak was putting us 9 year olds through in her 4th grade class.

King Henry V promised his valiant soldiers camaraderie as they shared in shedding their own blood for England. A greater King promises a share in His kingdom based not on our shedding of blood but on a life lived based on His. It is the camaraderie of those who believe. The camaraderie among Christians is not that we love Him, but that He loves us.

Larry Lilly Copyright (C) 2007 Use with credit.

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