The Way of Walking with Christ - based on a work of Miyamoto Musashi

20) Though you give up your life, do not give up your honor.

Meiyo - Honor: A true samurai has only one judge of his honor, and that is himself. Decisions you make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of whom you truly are. You cannot hide from yourself.

A main reason many people do not fully turn their lives over to Christ, and why so many people neglect to meet together for times of worship (see Hebrews 10), is because of men and women "of God", especially those in positions of leadership (both in and out of the public eye), have not taken seriously the fact that they are not only representing God to their congregations, but to the world.  They have put themselves (in some form or fashion) ahead of God.  Many are like those described in Titus 1:16: "They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work." (ESV)
 
In the Old Testament God tells His people:

"You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:14, ESV)

Now, this command is in the midst of several other commandments, but our Lord also has this to say:

"And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin [1] are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. [2] Pay attention to yourselves!" (Luke 17:1-3a, ESV)

We as sinful human beings have NO honor in and of ourselves.  Instead of viewing honor in the traditional sense, we must see our selves as ambassadors of our Lord, and while there is nothing that we can do to tarnish His honor (His perfect righteousness and holiness), people adjust their view of God based on what they see in and through us.  As a "Christian samurai" it is not our honor we must concern ourselves with, but the image of Christ we portray to the world.  There are some very good guidelines found in Titus 1; "For an overseer, [4] as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound [5] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it." (7-9, ESV)

Even though a Christian samurai may not be in a position of leadership within their local church, we should always hold ourselves to the highest standard.

Before i move on from this topic i would like to share this quote from my Pastor,  "It is easier to fall on your sword than to get back up and learn from your mistakes."  Always remember, we are sinners saved by the grace of God.  We must always allow the grace of God to work in and through us.  Our failures are not the end of it, but the beginning - instruments as you were - for growth.  We must not allow them to hinder our pursuit of our service to Him.  Not one sin in our entire lives was unseen by Him.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11, ESV)

I cannot wrap this section up better than quoting these verses:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, [2] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, ESV) 

---