“Swab the Deck!” was one of the many commands a captain shouted to his sailors. Though the lowliest of jobs, it was an important one because it kept the ship clean and the crew busy.
“Wash your hands.” If your mom was anything like mine, you heard that phrase all the time when you were growing up. She knew the importance of keeping your hands clean and free of germs. After having my own children, I repeated it to them; and now I find myself saying it to my grandson as well. Some things are ingrained in us from early on.
But how we use our hands is also as important as keeping them clean.
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised (Hebrews 6:11–12 NIV).
The captain of a ship keeps his crew busy so that they do not become lazy and useless. He keeps them on their toes in case an emergency arises. By keeping them in line, he knows that if his ship comes under attack, his crew will be prepared.
Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth (Proverbs 10:4 NIV).
Being diligent brings honor to Christ’s name. No matter what our situation is, we need to keep going, to be moving forward always. We are to keep our hands busy so that we do not become lazy. And we are all to live quiet, productive lives, minding our own business.
Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to (1 Timothy 5:13 NIV).
A lot of people are losing their jobs these days. And a lot of those same people will become lazy in their day-to-day lives. It is important to keep busy, not to fall into the trap of idleness.
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone (1 Thessalonians 5:14 NIV).
Beware the temptation of idleness. Whenever you face a time in your life that makes you feel like giving up; whether from job loss, sickness, or anything else, stay strong. Get up and “wash your hands.” There’s work to be done!
Debbie Mitchell