A mighty warrior, adopted into an ancient culture and creed, whose home is beyond the stars.
Clad in indestructible armor and brandishing weapons forged to combat an enemy whose ways and weapons are unlike any that of mere flesh and bone.
Oh, I’m not talking about Star Wars. I’m talking about how God designed me (and you).
Like many others, I love the Disney+ streaming series “The Mandalorian.” And I will be the first to admit this intergalactic space odyssey is not inherently ‘Christian programming’ (the closest Biblical reference we see in the franchise is the droid C3PO saying, “Thank the Maker!”).
But all things have been created through God and for God (Colossians 1:16). So, naturally, a Star Wars show can help us learn more about His nature (even if one of the main characters is a two-foot-tall green alien).
I believe there is symbolism from the show that can unlock wisdom of how we can be made more into the men and women God created us to be.
In short? We were designed to be fearless individuals, willing to die each day to fight for a way greater than ourselves, driving us to become more than just conquerors.
So, I guess what I’m saying is…
Yes, I Think God Designed Me as a Mandalorian
First off, what is a Mandalorian? The first time we saw a Mandalorian (or Mando for short) step onto the Star Wars scene was in 1980 with the release of Empire Strikes Back (you Baby Boomers better recall this). This debut was in the form of a mysterious bounty hunter called Boba Fett.
Half ancient Spartan, half old west gun-slinger (with a jetpack), the Mandalorians are the type of no-nonsense bad@sses that changes the atmosphere of any environment they walk into, whether that’s a room or battlefield.
Their noblest qualities are embodied in the main character of the Mandalorian show: Din Djarin. He is the hero you want to be or be around, inside or outside of a fight.
Among the many tenets the show introduces, I believe three echo God’s truth - The Armor, The Creed, and The Way, all showing how God wants to prepare and provide each of us for the adventure ahead.
The Armor
While Mandalorians’ voices and demeanor are cool - those traits pale compared to that armor. From the Space-Spartan-looking helmet to the rocket-launching jetpack (also armor), it sets them apart from all the other cosmic characters Star Wars offers.
Forged from a nearly indestructible metal unique to their home planet, Beskar steel allows Mandos to stand against nearly all the weapons their enemy can throw at them, from blades to blasters, even lightsabers (yes, LIGHTSABERS!).
Christians, too, have a distinctive and effective armor wrapped around them: the Armor of God, which we read about in Ephesians 6:10-18. It covers us from head to toe, not in Beskar steel, but for battles of a divine nature, “with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” and fight on.
Mandalorians don’t have ‘the force’ or lightsabers, so they devise arms and armor that give them a chance against such a powerful adversary that often defeats them in battle otherwise.
I believe this is also true with the Armor of God.
We have the mightiest weapons to battle “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
But not with mythical, material weapons. Instead, with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
When Jesus went into the desert and was tempted by the Devil (Matthew 4:1-11), how did he defeat Satan at every attempt he made? With words straight from scripture. Sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). We can do the same.
The Creed
For Mandalorians, the person underneath the armor who chose to put it on is more important than the armor itself. Mandos have a home planet and a culture where they can have children born into it, but at its core, “Mandalorian isn’t a race…it’s a creed.”
Whether one is a Youngling born from Mandalorian parents, an orphan taken in and brought up by Mandos, or an adult wishing to join the ranks, one is not truly Mandalorian until one takes the creed.
It is an oath made by one old enough to make the choice to recite it, swearing they “shall walk the Way of the Mand’alor…And the words of the creed shall be forever forged in my heart. This is the way.” They are then immersed in ‘the living waters of Mandalore.’
This practice sounds like baptism to me. Christians choose to become a child of God in the name of Jesus once they are mature enough to make the commitment. Then they are often submerged in water, showing the world the new life and identity that has formed in their hearts.
It doesn’t stop there, as the internal change should show a change in thought, word, and action compared to the ‘old you’ in the name and spirit of Jesus.
Man, God should have copyrighted these themes, huh?
The Way
For many Mandalorians - any argument, decision, or conflict can often be settled by one standard, The Way. It is a code of behavior and traditions that honored ancient Mandalorian heritage. For more ‘orthodox’ Mandalorians, it is more than a religion; it is a lifestyle. For Din Djarin, “This is the Way” defines everything that it is to be a Mandalorian.
Not all Mandalorians have this view. Some see them as debatable concepts. To others, they are no more important than fairytales.
This notion can be seen in Christianity today. For many, Jesus is ’the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ He is the core of who and what we are, and everything is affected by our relationship with Him.
The earliest followers of Jesus even called themselves “The Way.” However, this is not true with all who declare to be Christian because many view Jesus as simply a convenient philosophy or a good moral teacher.
And it is interesting in the Disney show that as the situations get more difficult and dark, ‘the Way’ seems to become the one thing that lights the Mandalorians’ path and pulls them through to the promise of better days. It is often Din Darin who holds to this faith and then can hold the others together to win the day.
Similarly, when we are lost, confused, and dying, we also seek out and hold onto “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). Also, in times of crisis, for example, September 11th, 2001, Churches saw a spike in attendance (the Wall Street Journal reported a 25% increase in houses of worship across different faiths).1
We, too, can be the steady, armor-clad hero for those around us in times of trouble or doubt, living in faith and not fear, taking part in the victory already won by Jesus on the cross.
This Is the Way
Are there more connections to be made? I will let you ponder that as you enjoy the series (or not, because I’m sure you’re behind on seven other shows right now).
‘The Way’ is life-changing truth and guidance for Mandalorians. And like all great stories seem to do, it can point to God’s creation and His true character played out in Jesus.
Like Mandalorians, I believe we were created to be strong. We were created to be transformed. And we were created to impact this world (The biggest difference - one was created by Lucasfilm, the other by the God of the universe).
Jesus calls us to himself and says, “I am the way.” And if we choose to follow His way, we will be daily made more into the warriors he designed us to be.
Being forged into the image of the Creator of everything? That, my friends, is a way worth following.
I think God designed me as a Mandalorian. And I’ll gladly accept that role in His adventurous story.
Disclaimer: This article is 100% human-generated.
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