Where to Sleep
Life aboard a merchant ship in convoy across the Atlantic was a mixture of boredom and fear. Long days and nights passed without incident. However, when something happened, it usually happened suddenly. Life jackets and precious valuables were kept close at hand. There was also the issue of where to sleep:
The civilian Merchant Marines who manned the ships grimly calculated where they slept aboard ship by the cargo they carried. If you were hauling a load of iron ore, you slept on deck for you had only a few seconds to clear the ship once a torpedo hit. If you carried general cargo, you could sleep below decks but kept your clothes on because your survival time was calculated in minutes. If, however, your ship carried a load of aviation fuel, you were free to sleep naked below decks, with the door closed since you would never have the time to escape the certain and sudden oblivion of a torpedo attack.98
When there is real danger, it is human nature to be more careful. Our senses are heightened, and we take extra precautions. We don’t want to be caught unprepared. Vigilance is even more important in our spiritual lives. We may think that we have unlimited time and therefore feel no need for urgency. Jesus tried to emphasize the foolishness of this stance with the parable of the ten virgins waiting at night for the bridegroom. Not knowing how long it would be before he arrived, five of the virgins took extra oil for their lamps. They were prepared when the time came. The door to the wedding banquet was shut to the others who failed to keep the vigil.
“Sir! Sir!” They said. “Open the door for us!” But he replied, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
—Matthew 25:11–13