Miyamoto Musashi was a legendary samurai. He is considered Japan’s greatest swordsman of all time and has the honorific title, Kensei. Which translates as “Sword Saint.” He had his first duel at the age of thirteen, a duel to the death which he easily won. He fought over sixty duels in his lifetime, over half to the death, and he never tasted defeat. He is to Japan what Achilles is to Greece, El Cid is to Spain, and Wyatt Earp is to America. The ultimate warrior, that is more myth than truth.

Legend has it that he once met Yagyu Tajima-no-kimi of the Tokugawa clan. Yagyu pointed out that Musashi’s sword had brought him everything. It had brought him fame, notoriety, respect, even fortune. He then asked, “What would you be without your sword? Would you still be Musashi?”

That question is what inspired Musashi to develop other facets of his life. He became a philosopher, a poet, and an artist as well as a swordsman.

Yagyu’s question is what every person must ask themselves. What one thing is so tied to our identity that it has become what we are. If we lost it, we would ask, “Am I still me?” For some it’s career, others family, still others their health and intellect. For Christians there should be only one thing that if we lost it would mean the end of our identity. Our faith in God. Without our faith we are no longer Musashi.

#Musashi