Spiritual Pirate

A British captain spots a ship climbing over the horizon of the high sea. As he keeps a watchful eye on the ship he lets out a huge sigh of relief as he sees the flag being flown on the ship. It is one of his fellow country’s carriers probably carrying goods to the new world.

As the ship drawls closer the British captain is paralyzed by what happens next. The hatches on the side of the ship fly open and canon barrels emerge from the dark misty holes. BOOM! Deck hands on board of the British ship scurry to get below to open their own hatches. The smell of gun powder overpowers the smell of the sea as the mysterious ship fires round after round upon the discombobulated ship caught by surprise.

The British captain regains mobility as he takes the wheel of the ship to avoid any impact he can from the canon balls and bullets whistling by. But his heroic attempt is short lived as he sees the dreadful black flag of non other than Blackbeard the pirate being hoisted into the air from the dissimulated ship. In a moments notice Blackbeard’s men are swinging over to the helpless ship filling the air with laughter like a pack of hyenas and taking every man on board captive. It is all over. Blackbeard has pirated another ship leaving it in shambles and desolate.

Blackbeard’s appearance was his most influential and powerful weapon. He rarely used force when commandeering a ship. The slightest glance would spread fear to the embers of any soul. If that wasn’t enough the snarl of his voice would deafen the most violent of thunderstorms. Lets just say he was no Ronald McDonald.

From a safe distance we too can wave a flag to look welcoming and friendly to others. Just like Blackbeard’s ship did to the British ship. A ship’s flag represents the country and the citizens of that country no matter where that ship sails. Our lives are our ships and how we navigate our lives through the sea of life is contingent upon our words and actions. These choices announce the flag we wave to others around us. If we are disciples of Christ the flag we wave should represent is Christianity. Sadly, this is not always the case.

When we come into contact with other people is our life portraying that same kind and friendly persona they saw at a distance? Does the flag match the ship? Does the slightest opposition reveal the flag we should have been flying all along like that of Blackbeard’s ship? When we come into the slightest altercation with another person do we hoist up another flag? Does our entire demeanor change? Does our mouth become a canon firing words of destruction? Do we find pleasure in tearing down others self-esteem? Are we flying the flag of Christianity, but really posing as a spiritual pirate?

For some of us we need to check the crew we have on board of our ship. Our crew can be the people in our lives, the priorities we have, the gossip we spread, the business we conduct, the possessions we have, or the busyness of life that consumes our time which hinders our relationship with God. Some of us need to examine the flag we are flying on our ship and emerge from...piracy!