“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1) Buccaneers and Swashbucklers offer a romantic view of life on the seven seas. Imagining a free lifestyle with no responsibility or accountability strikes the common chord of harmony with most people. Freedom and adventure are the actions of dreams and visions as they give men opportunity to express themselves without answering to anyone or anything. Yes, the thought of pirates offer this mystical charm. However, reality about the lifestyle of pirates clashes with the common perception.
I recently returned from a vacation along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. As I stood along Springer’s Point on Ocracoke Island, the hideout for the infamous pirate Blackbeard, I thought a lot about the adventures of the men who chose piracy as a way of life. Their lifestyle was not as independent as envisioned by popular myth and films. Pirates had several rules which governed their code of conduct and were essential for maintaining order. And, unlike the portrayal we see in movies, pirates actually had many admirable qualities.
Pirates were ready to go where others feared to go. As Christians, we should embrace the same fearlessness to take the gospel wherever God sends us. Pirates were committed for the long haul once the ship had left the docks. We too must count the cost and remain faithful to Jesus for the long haul. Pirates sailed as a team. Likewise, in our churches, it is team work that gives us success within the community of believers.
Pirates were faithful in battle and sold out to their cause. As Christians, we are called to be faithful to the spiritual battles facing our fellow man and sold out to the cause of Christ. Pirates understood the chain of command among the crew. As believers, Jesus is our commander in chief. We do not get to change His Lordship or authority over our lives. Pirates had to be ready for unexpected battles at all times. As followers of Christ, our spiritual enemy is always lurking and looking for advantage to hinder our walk, so we must stay prepared for battle at all times.
In the pirate’s code of conduct was the command that secrets were not allowed. In Christ, we are to be open with one another by abstaining and refusing to participate in slander, backbiting and gossip. There are three things that stood out to me as I examined the pirate code of conduct from historical documents: fearlessness, teamwork and accountability! We would do well to remember them.
Life is filled with a constant flow of lessons. Every day offers us another day to enjoy what I call “The classroom of life.” If we will take the time, whether at work or on vacation, the Lord is desiring to teach us new and deeper things. The heaven’s declare the glory of God and we can also learn beautiful truths from diverse settings and various groups… even from pirates!
