Call Me Madam, 4

Continued from "Call Me Madam, 3"

The story so far: I have journeyed to the mountain lair of the Master of Combat Arts (Ancient and Modern) in order to find the place of love and marriage in the life of a warrior. I have told the master the story of how I met my own wife, and the master now speaks.

"It's a charming story, Clodhopper. What's the point?"

"Well, Master, I love my wife . . ."

"Good."

". . . and I wouldn't trade her for anything . . . "

"Also good."

". . . but sometimes I wonder if I might not be a better, more devoted and more efficient warrior if I were single."

"Sometimes I wonder about you. You made two good points and then followed them up with an utterly stupid conclusion. Clodhopper, whom do you serve?"

"Why, Jesus, the Anointed King, of course."

"And what mighty Warrior is the Captain of Lord's hosts."

"Again, Jesus."

"And on behalf of whom does the Warrior King do battle?"

"Uh . . . His Church?"

"Yes! And what figure does he use to characterize His Church in Ephesians 5?"

Silence as I desperately try to remember what's in that chapter. Then the master speaks, as if to a very slow child.

"Come, Clodhopper, it starts with a 'B' . . . [pause] . . . rhymes with 'hide'."

"Oh. Bride?"

"Indeed, the Church is our King's bride. Do you think having a bride detracts from His prowess as a warrior?'

"No . . . ."

"And do you think you're somehow better than the King, that you should not follow His example?"

To be continued