Our son graduated from college with a degree in psychology and sociology. He spent a couple of years working with children with problems while he decided whether to go to graduate school. We were fine with that. Then one day he called us from Los Angeles and told us he had decided to join the LAPD. He was enrolling in the academy. We were proud that he wanted to serve, but scared out of our minds. But it was his decision and we supported him.
He survived the long and grueling course, and we went to LA for his graduation. It was a fine ceremony. We sat with the other proud families on the beautiful grounds of the police academy. The officers were handsome in their dress uniforms. There were fine speeches praising the hard work of the men and women in the class and thanking these new “peace officers” in advance for having the commitment and courage to go out every day to protect the public from the forces of evil.
After the reception, we went back to our son’s house and he proudly showed us his new working uniform and all his paraphernalia. He laid each item out on the bed for us to admire: his bullet-proof vest, his riot helmet, his riot shield, his guns, his sprays, his batons. It came home to me what he would be facing out there on the streets each day. I was absolutely terrified. “Promise me you’ll wear your vest every day,” I begged him.
And that’s the tone we need to hear in Paul’s voice when he says to the new Christians in Ephesus today, “Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may stand against the wiles of the devil”. He lays out for them the many pieces of spiritual armor they are going to need for their protection: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. He urges them to put on their armor every day, “that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”
The armor Paul is talking about is not body protection against bullets and bombs. He is talking about soul protection against those forces “which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God”: lies that are easier to accept than to challenge, policies that are just plain wrong, violence that walks all over basic human rights, despair that promises us nothing will change, apathy that convinces us there is nothing we can do, materialism that guarantees the things we get are more important than the kind of people we are.
We can only protect ourselves against these forces with the armor God gives us: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the Spirit.
Paul warns us today, “Be careful out there!” He pleads with us, “Put on the whole armor of God.” Pray God we listen.
Blessings,
Rev. Phyllis Taylor
