Your life has meaning. It’s purposeful and you were created for a reason. But discovering that reason is only part of what it means to pursue a refining life, on purpose. Today, I want to share a little bit from one of my all-time favorite movies, the Princess Bride. One of the most famous among the many famous lines that exist in story is the oft-recited refrain of:
It’s a line that has transcended generations and become a go-to phrase for many. In fact, very few people can resist picking up a sword, whether real or make-believe, and not say those twelve words. It’s fun, yes, but there is also a lot packed into those three concise sentences.
From them, we Christians of refining life on purpose can take away many lessons.
Few can resist claiming their name is Inigo Montoya when holding a sword of any type. While fun and in jest, there’s a lot packed into those 3 short sentences. We Christians of refining life on purpose get many lessons. Photo Credit: oxygeon via Compfight cc
Why Did Inigo Montoya Master the Sword?
Let’s start with the first and most obvious question. Inigo mastered the sword because the six-fingered man had killed his father and he wanted to be fully prepared to for the moment he would meet his father’s killer face to face. He didn’t just take a class on swordsmanship. No, he committed his entire life to mastering the craft so he could fully pursue his life purpose.
After the countless hours of training, study, and preparation, he pursued his call not as a feeble-minded amateur, but as a skillful master filled with unwavering confidence.
My name is Inigo Montoya.
This first part of his mantra is the longest, and perhaps it’s the most vital. It establishes and represents Inigo’s identity. In his mind, he says it to tell the six-fingered man exactly who he is, what his lineage is and project exactly who intends to be.
You killed my father.
Pretty direct and no real room for elaborate discussion, right? Having established who he is, Inigo says why he has mastered his sword and reveals his motivation for battle as well as his the reason for his overwhelming sense of purpose.
Prepare to die.
A fairly stern warning and promise wrapped up into three simple words, right? So determined was Inigo to fulfill his calling, he was willing to die trying.
How Can We Be Like Inigo Montoya for Christ?
While I certainly don’t suggest we go out and seek blood vengeance with physical weapon or sword in hand to everyone who has wronged us, I do want to remind you that we are submitted daily to spiritual battle. There are things that we, like Inigo, need to have in order to fulfill our purposes.
My name is Chad Gramling.
What’s in a name? It says who we are and who we represent. I represent my earthly father as I carry the family surname. Hidden behind those words are the attributes that my honor and reputation have established. If you were to Google me, you would find that I am also a writer/author, credit union marketer, historian, family man and Christ follower. I take pride in who I am, who I represent and I daily seek to define my character. We all should be so bold as Inigo to know ourselves and know who/what we represent.
I am to Serve My Father’s Honor
Inigo’s driving force in his life is perhaps an “under the sun” sort of pursuit… seeking revenge for his father’s death. If you notice, after his life purpose and driving force are no more, he has no idea what to do with his life. Of course, since it’s a Hollywood production and all the good guys have to live happily ever after, he conveniently gets a new purpose when Wesley hands over the reins to being the new Dread Pirate Roberts.
We’re not so lucky in our lives. We don’t get always get a new purpose. I can relate to Inigo’s despair. I had a similar feeling when I accomplished my life pursuit at age 30 and had no idea what to do next. It sent me into years of turmoil.
It ultimately brought me to a realization that my life purpose should never be connected to an earthly pursuit. Our redemption and reward is not brought by anything that we personally accomplish. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.
Today, my driving force it to partner with God – by listening to him, communicating with him, seeking out the best ways to honor and serve him. My ultimate ambition is to be diligent and excited while glorifying God, that I may come to truly and genuinely enjoy him!
Let’s Prepare to Die
Having just buried my mother with memories of doing so for my father about twelve years before that and having just attended my twentieth high school reunion where the most often asked question was “when did we get so old?” the issue of mortality is fresh on my mind.
I experienced a near-death event in 1994 that had me questioning many things about life and really questioning how I survived. I am convinced god answered many prayers and spared me because I had not realized, nor had I achieved the purpose for which he created me. That event was a matter of the master sculptor hacking of a massive chunk of clay. It hurt and it took a lot of correcting to seal the wounds. But he got me there. And he’s getting me closer to the destination daily.
Paul had three desires and you might say they were divinely inspired. He longed for his life to be found in Christ, to personally be with Christ, and to magnify Christ whether by his life or by his death (Phil. 1:20).
We’ll continue this discussion later on this week when I’ll share more about swordsmanship and how we can passionately pursue or calling with confidence and the expectation that our efforts will result in anything but vanity.
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