Samurai Journey: The 7-Fold Path of Bushido

In Feudal Japan, the samurai class followed a moral system called Bushido (literally, "The way of the Warrior"). In Inazo Nitobe's famous work Bushido: The Soul of Japan, he illustrates that even though the samurai culture has been dead in Japan for the better part of 250 years, its Bushido foundations still serve as the ethical and moral foundation for Japanese society. As such, just like their European counterparts (i.e. the Feudal Knights of Western Europe who adhered to Chivalry), the samurai were expected to embody the very best of what their culture had to offer, and to serve as an apex example of the qualities to be sought by all citizens of the realm. At its most essential level, Bushido can be boiled down to what is called "The 7-Fold Path". Notice how remarkably similar these qualities are to what we, as followers in the Jesus Way, would also echo and hail:

* Righteousness (Gi) - Sometimes referred to as Justice or Righteousness, the concept of Gi in ancient Japan would have been to act in such a way as brings the absolute best of one's thoughts and actions into the world in which we live, and a willingness to stand behind one's actions even to the point of death.

* Courage (Yu) -The ability to confront fear and do what is right amidst pain, danger, uncertainty and/or intimidation.

* Love (Jin) -Like the Samurai, Love is actually our first "Family Value" as a family unit. My children have memorized the definition and know it simply as "to passionately and selflessly pursue the growth, intimacy and wellbeing of God and others."

* Respect (Rei) - To ascribe dignity to all beings, and respond deferentially to them worth of that dignity.

* Truth (Makoto) -In Japan, this concept goes far beyond "the opposite of lying", though that would certainly be included. Rather, the Samurai would have valued purity in the absolute innermost parts of one's soul, and would have judged that value not only on the basis of intention, but on impact in one's world and posterity.

* Honor (Meiyo) - While this is sometimes viewed as an elusive concept in the West, our family defines honor simply as, "to highly esteem that which is praiseworthy by God and others, and to live in such a way that is worthy of such high esteem."

* Loyalty (Chu) -The complete and absolute dedication and service of one's life to one's Lord. In our context, there is only one LORD, though we serve one another in the pursuit of His Mission in the world.