Life in the Bottom of a Ship
Did you know that some ancient ships were driven, not only by wind and sail, but by slaves who rowed in the belly of a ship? These slaves would sit on wooden benches, have their ankles chained to the floor, and spent their life rowing at their Captain’s command. A drummer would pound out a beat that these rowers would have to work in unison to maintain. These rowers would spend their life in this ship until they had nothing left to give.
I share that brief description because in 1 Corinthians 4:1, Paul said that he was an “under-rower”/servant (Gr. huperetes) of Christ? Paul likened himself and other Christians to slaves in the belly of a ship. Now then, Paul wasn’t comparing the conditions in the belly of a ship to that of being a servant of Christ, but I believe these points would be what he was trying to communicate.
Like an “under-rower,” a Christian should:
- Follow the Captain’s beat.
- Cooperate with his fellow “rowers,” pull together.
- Not expect honor, just serve.
- Be committed for life.
Are you up to the task?