The Lion Roared...

Once there was young man who had older brothers who were away from home and in the army preparing for battle with an enemy. The young man was tasked with taking care of the farm for his older parents. He was to care for the livestock in every way they needed tended to. His older brothers were not too far from the family farm, about one-half day's walk (at this time there were no planes, trains or automobiles). The young man's father asked the young man to carry home-cooked provisions to his brothers after they had been away from home for about six weeks. The young man was obedient to his father and left before dawn the next morning.

As the young man approached his destination he noticed two armies gathered on opposing hilltop ridges with a valley separating them. Once he found his brothers, he gave them their care package from home and began to ask them about their situation. They sat, ate and spoke to their little brother about the hardships of being away from home, not knowing what the future would bring at any moment and asked him to return to safety of home, their parents and the farm.

 The young man suddenly heard an echoing bellow from the opposing army side in the valley. A man was yelling at the top of his lungs challenging any one of the young man’s brother’s army to fight him to the death, winner take all and no one else would die. He cursed the young man’s brother’s army and cursed them all the way from the lowest to the highest rank. He belittled them all because this enemy super star had been doing this for days without challenge. Each successive day this big mouth grew stronger, braver, more belittling while the young man’s brothers and army were overwhelmed with fear. The bravado of words from the enemy combatant shook them to the core as he paced up and down the valley in search of a contender.

 The young man was the only one in his brother’s encampment who was not afraid and was insulted and emboldened over the actions of what he perceived to be a “Bully”. So the young man searched out the decision maker and volunteered to face this “Bully”. The decision maker was also the king. The king relented after much convincing and confidence by the young man to face the “Bully”, frankly no one else in his army had the courage or confidence to act and the time had come to fish or cut bait…

 The young man walked down into the valley to challenge the “Bully” screaming at the “Bully” who do you think you are? You’ve insulted my King, my country and my family, I accept the challenge and I will prevail! The “Bully” was at least ten feet tall, in full dress armor with helmet, a spear, a shield and a huge broad sword. The “Bully” laughed at the young man and scolded him to go away before he fed him to his dogs. The young man reached into his pouch and grasped five smooth river rocks with his left hand. At the same time, the “Bully” began to charge toward the young man and the young man toward the “Bully” while rotating his sling with a rock with his right arm. As the “Bully” came into range of the young man, he released the stone, which hit the “Bully” between the eyes and fell him to the ground. The war was over, many lives were saved and the spoils went to the victor.

Believe it or not this is a true story. The moral of the story is we all have “Bullies” in our life. The “Bully” could be physical, mental, spiritual, financial, tangible or intangible. The young man at some point in his life had been where the lion roared (fear), faced the lion thus faced his fear and overcome that fear to prepare him for this and future victories. Note, it was not the assimilation of warriors who saved the day, it was one who had the courage to participate, engage and go where the lion roars who won the day.

 I hope you enjoyed this reading. Please flatter me with naming the true characters in this story in a reply comment…