The exciting, energetic sounds of The William Tell Overture begin playing. Then, the voice of the narrator says, “The Lone Ranger. A fiery horse with the speed of light. A cloud of dust and a hearty hi-o Silver. The Lone Ranger!” Another moment of music takes center stage before the narrator returns, saying, “”With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early west. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. The Lone Ranger rides again!”1
Those words along with the music came spilling across the airwaves for the first time on this day in 1933 on Detroit’s WXYZ radio station. A total of 2,956 episodes were aired. By 1949, The Lone Ranger had made it to television. The original series lasted until 1957. Since then, The Lone Ranger has made it to the big screen, animation, and novels.
The Lone Ranger, the last survivor of a shootout as a posse of Texas Rangers were ambushed by the Cavendish Gang, lived by a moral code. He never drank, smoke, cursed, used slang, and never shot to kill unless absolutely necessary.2 His creed was summarized by the creator of his character, Fran Striker.
I believe that to have a friend,
a man must be one.
That all men are created equal
and that everyone has within himself
the power to make this a better world.
That God put the firewood there
but that every man
must gather and light it himself.
In being prepared
physically, mentally, and morally
to fight when necessary
for what is right.
That a man should make the most
of what equipment he has.
That ‘this government,
of the people, by the people
and for the people’
shall live always.
That men should live by
the rule of what is best
for the greatest number.
That sooner or later…
somewhere…somehow…
we must settle with the world
and make payment for what we have taken.
That all things change but truth,
and that truth alone, lives on forever.
In my Creator, my country, my fellow man.3
We know that The Lone Ranger was fictional, but we sure do need a nation filled with real men like him today! Cue the music!
In the Bible, Joab served as the military leader for King David’s soldiers. As a battle was approaching and his men were surrounded, he said, “Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.” (2 Samuel 10:12) They had a role to play and it was that of standing between the enemy and God’s people. They had to be strong and take their stand. No compromise. No running. No backing down.
Again, we need men – and women – like this today. We need churches full of them who will enter the world in force as God’s army. The church doesn’t need lone rangers. We need spiritual armies with the intestinal fortitude and determination of The Lone Ranger.
Paul gave a simple, straightforward admonition to the church of Corinth that we need to heed for ourselves. “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)
1https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Quotes/TheLoneRanger
2https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-lone-ranger-debuts-on-detroit-radio
3https://www.npr.org/18074057
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