The Mighty Viking

It‘s a fine thing, to dream of being the king. To be able to bring together a powerful house, to command great deeds be done, noble works built at your behest. Naturally, your motives are so pure that people OUGHT to be compelled to your will. Your ideals are so illuminating that only those with Evil in their heart would even question them. Right?

But yet..are YOU ready? Is this all it takes to be a king?

The Ballad of the Kingdom has been sung to exhaustion through history:

The Dawn bursts upon the land brilliant, it‘s warming light bestirs life, and pathways emerge from the night‘s shadow.

The noonday fire burns hot, as it acquires a taste for its power, and even after the earth is fully warmed, after the crops have received their water, after the forests and meadows have feasted, it continues to gain strength, wilting and burning that which can‘t be protected by shade and water. It‘s nature is to burn, it can do nothing else. The farmer must tend to his land‘s needs, water must be provided, earth plowed and prepared in its season. Without this skill, the kingdom bursts into flames and is consumed.

The evening shadows are fickle, tricking the eye and fostering imagined monsters, and seeing paths that are not there. Evening is a time for gathering, and preparing for the night. If not attended to, the kingdom stumbles into the night without a lamp, and with no memory of the daytime paths that lead past the rocks, and the holes, and the cliffs. It is overtaken by the vandals who seek opportunity in the kingdom‘s sloth and ignorance. The evening is a warning of the harsh and dangerous night.

The kingdom built on the backs of its slaves will find itself helpless in the dark against those who were forced to prepare, when they realize they don‘t need you.

The kingdom that draws over-much from its stores in revelry meets the darkness drunk and helpless against those who‘s senses are sharpened by evil and wicked opportunity.

The kingdom that denies the oncoming darkness will be overtaken and snuffed out before dawn, and its strength will return to the land, awaiting another day, and another husband.

We view our kingdoms – from the tiniest family to the most extravagant empire, as a source into which we dip for our needs, and our wants. But the bucket doesn‘t work until the well is dug. So we Sacrifice the kingdom- that is our revelry and leisure at its expense – until we have dug our wells, and sowed good crops, and irrigated and weeded and defended against marauders. Then, and only then we may sip from its well, and gather the strength required to walk boldly in the night, to sleep with confidence, and rise tomorrow ready for the dawn.

If you want a kingdom, then truly be a king. First, you must lead, but how can you lead if you don‘t understand following? You must learn to follow. You must learn to BE what you would lead. Follow until you understand “the first shall be last and the last shall be first”.

If you want the kingdom you‘ve built to be honored, then BE honorable. A lasting kingdom is not something separate from yourself. You must be a part of it, until it is a part of you.

If you want your kingdom to be able to give you something, then give. It will give back of the fruit it is fed. If you give your kingdom deceit, it will deceive. If you give it anger, and reasonless fear, it will hate. If you give your kingdom violence, it will destroy.

And if you give your kingdom joy, it will sing. If you give your kingdom protection, it will nurture peace.

And if you give your kingdom love, it will multiply, and will find a way to sustain you through the darkest winter nights, while other kingdoms fall, or become monsters.

So tonight, we Sacrifice the kingdom we want, and pray for the kingdom we need.