Castle Walls

Castle Walls


occasionally, every leader must retreat temporarily. On the front lines, leaders are required to be self-sacrificing, out front, persevering in the face of opposition, tenaciously defending the cause, and tirelessly pressing toward the goal. It can be exhausting. I've been thinking a lot about the importance of retreating lately; of taking time out in a safe place to rest, reflect and regroup. I'm concerned that today's leaders don't prioritize and plan for retreat but I'm even more concerned that they don't have a PLACE to retreat. This led me to think about castles - the ultimate medieval retreat. Inside the castle walls the warrior could let down his guard, take off the armor, stow the weapons, stop looking over his shoulder, love his wife, play with the kids in the courtyard...You get the picture. And why was this possible? Planning and design. The medieval castle was designed with retreat and safety in mind. Let's look at the architecture of the castle:

• Walls - up to 20 feet thick and 40 feet high, these structures were designed to be impenetrable and unscalable.
• Moats - added protection against the enemy getting too close to the walls and possibly becoming undetected. Also kept hoists and ladders at bay.
• Drawbridge - tightly controlling everything coming into and leaving the castle.
• Portcullis - heavy, protective grilled gates opening and closing vertically at either end of a narrow passage way. A sort of "contingency" defense useful for trapping enemy troops successful in infiltrating the drawbridge.
• Watchtowers - set at each corner of the castle to provide keen monitoring of all the enemy activities and other approaching threats. Useful for surveying the activities within the castle walls as well.
• Authority and Order - the impressive defensive architecture of the castle was useless in the absence of clear direction and commitment on the part of the castle occupants. Peace and order on the inside only served to fortify the mechanical defenses.

I encourage you this week to evaluate your "castle." Is home a safe retreat? Have you been diligent to create an environment that is emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy? If you haven't been intentional in this area, chances are you'll find at least a few vulnerable weaknesses. Make sure you know who and what is coming and going. Not just through the front door, but through cable TV and the internet. Ask a few close friends to help you make an objective assessment of where you might need to shore things up a bit. Make sure unconditional love is communicated freely, creatively, and enthusiastically. You'll be a better leader if you can effectively retreat from time to time.

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 (NASB)