There was a king of a great army. He said to one of his experienced soldiers, “go and prepare my army in the ways of war,” so the soldier went to the barracks where he saw many men. Many were strong and capable men, but there was a weak man. The soldier said to the man: “Rise. For strength, discipline, obedience, and sacrifice are the ways of war.”
The weak man said to him, ”Who are you to take away my time of rest? You are not the king; I do not obey you! I will not take up my sword and train for your sake. Why do you tell me to train when you, yourself are but a cripple?”
So the soldier left, why would he mourn a disobedient fool who wishes to stay weak? He knows better than to entrust his own life to someone who is incapable of defending themselves. What the weak man did not know is that the soldier spoke for the benefit of the weak man, so that he may be prepared when the time of war came. For the soldier knows, that in battle, you cannot run or hide from that which seeks to kill you.
Yet the weak man refused to change, even to save himself. When war came he was torn up by the blade of his enemies, for he did not heed the warnings of the one who endured the pain before the battle began.
One man loses his weakness to keep his life, while the other loses his life to keep his weakness. The strong learn that pain is a mercy, and death is a judgement. Thus the strong rejoice in pain, while the weak flee and cower from it.
If one is not willing to change for the sake of a king, nor for the sake of many in an army, nor for the sake of a single brother, nor for the sake of the loved ones they are protecting, but only for their own life, then they should expect no one to be by their side when the horns of war sound. When all the weak scatter, they are the first blood to be spilled.
They will be left to die, for the sake of their own pride, arrogance, comfort, and selfishness. A real warrior learns to sacrifice for the sake of others, and becomes strong by laying down his own life. The heart of a warrior does not beat for himself, but for the others around him. Truly, a warrior loves his brothers more than his own life.
Those who cling to weakness account only for themselves, and in the end their death is upon their own heads. For in stubbornness they say, “I am strong because my life is in my own hands,” this makes them feel safe, but the strong will leave them to fend for themselves, and the tide of battle sweeps them away forever.
Many cling to their love of weakness, for it provides comfort. But the journey of strength, creates a road of pain. Only strength endures the battle, that cuts down those who have not first waged war on themselves.
If you do not believe or trust a weathered soldier who lives, then let your ignorance and weakness be your council in death. The strong are willing to cut off their own flesh, and sacrifice parts of themselves in order to live another day. The weak are selfish and will cling to their crippled limbs because they are afraid to remove what is killing them.
The greatest love is the one which is willing to sacrifice itself for the sake of others. The greatest soldier becomes strong to honor his king. The greatest warrior becomes strong to protect his life. The greatest defender becomes strong to save that which is dear to him.
Every time a soldier escapes death, they must sacrifice another piece of themselves. Yet they count their scars as pride and joy, for they do not love themselves more than those they fight to protect and honor. To learn true love, one must lay themselves to death for the sake of others, no matter how painful. Strength is not measured in how much of you remains, but how much of you has been lost.