To be a knight, you must serve

To be a true knight, you must be willing to help others.  It was there at the origin, and continues through to today

The origin of the word knight comes from the old english work cniht.  This word traslates to servant or boy, meaning that a knight was a servant.  Just like the minstrels or famers.  It didn't refer to only fighting men.  Wasn't even directed towards someone with a horse, like the French word "Chivalry."  It wasn't till the 12th century that it meant a servant in the militant area.

When it comes down to it, a knight is a servant in that they serve in battle for their lord or employer.  The idea that they fight as service isn't unique to Europe, either.  In Japan, the word "Samurai" translates to the exact same word:  "Servant."  In that culture, they started as archers, and evolved to the principal warrior class, just like knights.  And these two cultures were on opposite ends of the Earth at the same time, with virtually no knowledge of the other.

So, both groups started as servants, and over time, evolved to be the embodiment of a class of warrior that, while many aspired to it, few would ever reach.  Both were warriors with a code connected to them.  Both were known for being allowed to carry weapons and armor in the presence of their lords to protect and serve them.  Oddly enough, both of their eras came to an end because of the same weapon, fire arms  

There are many more parallels that can be drawn, but these are sufficient enough to see that, regardless of culture, they can more or less be interchangeable by simply saying "servant."  And this word holds a great meaning towards a useful way to be chivalrous in the modern world.  Someone who aspires towards true chivalry is someone who serves. 

I don't mean that you should jump up and join your national military right now, nor do I mean that you should become someones personal bodyguard.  A person can serve others simply by being helpful.  In serving others, we can find the other person's joy and ease their burden.  As Gordon Hinkley once said "He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served."

Service doesn't have to be a large and exhausting portion of your day, either.  Little things matter as well.  The key to being helpful is not expecting anything in return from the moment you see the opportunity to help.  In that moment, the choice becomes "Do I help them or not?"  The key part of it is that the person helping isn't thinking about themselves at all, rather they are there for the other person completely.  It is no longer about themselves. 

It's like the most basic version of the hero and the villain in any great story.  The hero isn't there to make things better for themselves, but rather to help make things better for all, even at the cost of their own self.  While they may feel the benefit of winning the day, that wasn't their reason for acting.  The villain is looking out for what they can get out of it, regardless of what it does to others.  It is a very simplistic version of good and bad, but once you can break down motives to that level, there really are only those two choices. 

Be the hero, be the knight, be the servant.