Knights in Shining Armor: What every man should know

Let’s be honest, there isn’t much talk about shining armor anymore. After all, we are in the twenty-first century now and the fair maidens are uninterested in anything so not cool, so noisy, so sweaty and so… well… so unpopular. Back in medieval times wearing armor was all the rage and the maidens were very impressed with the shiny colossal costumes, right? I don’t think so.

Think about it. Metal is not the most huggable substance on the earth. Not good for dancing. Sneaking a kiss through the helmet was completely out of the question, and to my knowledge, the maidens didn’t wear the Knight’s armor around the castle like their favorite status jersey. And… once you had been knocked from your horse you looked absolutely ridiculous getting back on your feet.

So why, after all these centuries, does the phrase “Knight in Shining Armor” still impress us? Why does it still elicit goodness, manhood, character, romance, honesty and moral chivalry? Why does the Knight’s armor or the soldier’s dress blues still display an unspoken valor?

Because it was never about what the Knight was wearing, but who the Knight was! The Knight was a man worthy of armor, not the other way around.

In this day and age, becoming a man is about paying less attention to your armor, or your cool factor, and more about the fiber and ferocity of the man inside the sheath. You are not defined by what you wear, but by the man of action inside the clothing. Don’t believe me? Try wearing the coolest outfit you have to school tomorrow and give your friends the cold shoulder for the day. Let me know if they take that experiment well. I don’t believe they will conclude that you just need a little time to chill but you dress really well. Conversely, treat your friends well and they will defend you dressed in rags.

If you wish to be known as a man, kill your insecurity. That’s right, kill it. Make it a big ceremony and while you’re at it, knock off your lack of confidence too. You see, Knights knew that both of these bad traits would get you killed. You would probably not last the day in your first battle regardless of how shiny your armor was.

Boys don’t become men because they get older. Manhood is not about strength, toughness, cool looks, cars or wallets filled with cash. These are designs of false armor that will eventually rust and become useless. Becoming a man occurs inside the armor… way inside near the soul, and in that secret place that God designed for you—that person He wills you to become and continues to offer to you hoping you will accept.

Was Christ not our first Knight, loving us, giving His life for us, demanding a whole new way of dealing with our enemies and not selling us out when faced with imminent danger?

Boys will become men when they learn first how to behave with absolute trust, loyalty and good character, and by placing the kingdom, earthly and spiritual, ahead of their own interest. If you have friends and family, they are your earthly kingdom and they are entrusted to you. Care for them and protect them. When you find a lady in waiting, be fair to the fair maiden and make her worth being saved from the villains of sexual objectivity and the siege culture of hook-ups and self indulgent dating practices. A good Knight does not try to impress all the kingdom’s daughters—one will do! That is God’s plan; Thy will be done, thy kingdom come, one Knight, one princess saved, and whole new generations of good Knights protect us from evil, amen.

When you find the courage to put on the armor of Knighthood, remember your sword. Keep it sharpened with good faith, strong prayer and obey your King with honor. This is the manhood boys are called to.

So what can we learn from Knights? We can learn that they shine, not because of their armor, but because they demonstrated the best of what society had to offer civilization. They were heroic, not just in deed but as role models of good behavior. They became men by wearing the armor of God and the armor of selflessness, defending not their body but their kingdom. When a Knight wore his armor, the people felt protected and they knew that they were seeing a man who was a capable warrior, but also a man who was willing to give his life for others. That is what made Knights so charming; that one expression of selfless love is what produced all the romantic inclinations of Knighthood.

The kingdom will follow you and look up to you as a man when you allow yourself to be defined by your moral leadership. Demonstrate your genuine consideration for others, especially women, and people will see you as honorable and unforgettable. Show no fear in your faith and people will see you as fearless and trust worthy. Show courage among your friends and forgiveness among your enemies and people will give you themselves. Receive what God has intended for you and feel the depth of your soul come alive.

The Knight in the Shining Armor may be an old fashioned idea and out of sync with today, but if we allow chivalry to die, then we let our manhood slip from us, and we will not become boys or men, but misfits with shallow hearts and weak minds, unable to grow into our special purpose with shadows larger than our bodies.