Sleeping Beauty & Valor

My favorite Disney movie is Sleeping Beauty. Because Philip is my favorite Prince Charming. It's a great movie not just because there is singing and dancing, but Philip does some courageous stuff to get the girl and he has some pretty cool tools to save her too, Valor & Truth

Let me give you the abridged version. Beloved baby girl becomes cursed by wicked being and then whisked off to the forest to be raised in safety by three women, meets handsome stranger in forest (usually that doesn't end well, just for reference sake). Handsome stranger turns out to be a prince. Prince falls in love, runs home, gives up his throne, then gets trapped, kidnapped, and thrown into a dungeon. The girl, as it turns out, is also royalty. She is brought back to the castle, becomes curious about a piece of old technology and manages to nearly kill herself playing with it (ironically fulfilling the curse of her youth). The three old women who raise the girl break the prince out of the dungeon and give him a Shield of Valor, the Sword of Truth and turn the arrows aimed for his destruction into a rainbow and flowers. The wicked bring turns into a dragon. Philip, the prince, fights the dragon valiantly but is losing the battle. The dragon blows mightily against his shield of valor and after a long battle the prince can hold no longer to the shield of valor. At last, the dragon has the prince pinned and is about to win. The prince having nothing left but his Sword of Truth, throws his only and last defensive weapon and the sword of truth strikes the heart of the dragon and slays it. Prince runs along his merry way, discovers girl is really a princess and he will wake her up from her coma with coffee, I mean a gentle kiss, (Start with coffee and then go for the kiss, fellas. Better chances).

I've said it before, and I will say it again: Sacrifice is giving up something you want for something you want more.

The Bible says it like this in Matthew 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." One way to tell if you are important to someone is, do you see them make sacrifices for you? We live in a world now that puts emphasis on self and then you can serve the other. That is not actually what the bible says or a real reflection of what we treasure. We will always, even without understanding it, choose that which we treasure. And when you love it, the sacrifice does not seem so unbearable.  A couple of examples: Parents sacrifice for their kids all the time. But how a about when sacrifice goes off the tracks a bit? Woody Harrelson is an American actor noted for his love of all things Marijuana. He spent a great deal of his adult life promoting products associated with Marijuana. After decades of promoting it, he realized that he had no relationship with his kids and missed substantial portions of their lives because he was stoned. He sacrificed the relationship with his children on the alter of his treasure, Weed. When he finally realized how much he lost, and that his treasure was misplaced, he quit consuming so that he could have a relationship with his family before it was to late. Few people ever recognize or care and even fewer get the second chance he has. What do you sacrifice for? Where does the hum of your thoughts take you? What do you put your money to?What is your treasure? What is it that you give up for and protect?

Well, how about that Rainbow and Flowers?

Thank you for giving some cover there... But actually, this is pretty amazing. God used the Rainbow to mean something in the book of Genesis chapter 9. "Never again will the flood waters destroy all life." It is a promise of hope and restoration. The arrows sent to destroy are neutralized and our young hero runs through the Covenent of Hope and Restoration to go stand against evil.

What about the Shield of Valor and the Sword of Truth?

What is Valor? Webster's 1828 version defines Valor as, "That quality which enables [an individual] to encounter danger with firmness, personal bravery, courage, intrepidity and prowess." Vocabulary.Com defines it as, "Honor plus dignity, gallant bravery and strength especially in the face of danger."

When you look up the phrase valor, it brings you to the Hebrew Word Chayil (Strongs Reference H2428) and has several meanings. Most frequently used in terms of Mighty Men of Valor, it is interchangeably used for Army, Strength, Valiant, Virtuous.

Joshua 8:3 So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night.

Exodus 18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

Ruth 2:1 And Naomi had a kinsman (A family member that can redeem the estate) of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

Ruth 3:11 And now, my [lady], fear not; I will do [as you request]: for all the city of my people do know that [you] are a virtuous woman.

Psalms 118:15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

Proverbs 12:4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that make[s him] ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

Ezekiel 28:4 With [your] wisdom and with [your] understanding [you have] gotten [me] riches, and [have] gotten gold and silver into [my] treasures:

Ezekiel 37:10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

Joel 2:22 Be not afraid, [you] beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

Nahum 2:3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.

Valiant, Virtuous, Honorable, Integrous, Brave and Courageous.

But there comes a point through wear and tear and battle exhaustion that a persons' valor is stripped from them, just like the shield of Valor was stripped from Prince Phillip, and all that is left is his weapon. And when at last his valor had been stripped away all he had left was not character but the sword of Truth. In his last-ditch effort, instead of continuing to fight he throws his last defense and his only offense.

Alas, Truth is absolute and its own valor. It does not need to have a hand on the hilt to be effective. When we are tired and have nearly lost our battles and when we no longer have the strength to wield it. Truth is the only thing that can pierce the dragons' heart, but it is useless lying on the ground, it must be wielded, even if it is thrown. Truth will Triumph over evil, even if we are lost. Truth will win, but we must be faithful to send it out.

When as last evil has been defeated, we will pass through the Arc of Hope and Redemption. And maybe if we are luck there will be coffee and a kiss at the end of it.