The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.—Psalms 118:14, KJV
I remember how my children loved to hear stories when they were young. One such story was “Scuffy the Tugboat.” Scuffy was a little vessel that worked in the harbor and came to know just how important his work was, even though he was small.
Recently, as my husband and I were sightseeing on the banks of the Port River, we noticed a tugboat stop near where we were sitting. As we were discussing its functions, we glanced the other way to see a huge red cargo ship round the curve in the river, accompanied by another tugboat acting as the pilot boat. Very slowly it approached and almost stopped. It was then that we saw an amazing procedure take place as each tugboat took its position so as to totally control this gigantic ship. One nosed into the bow on one side, and the other seemed to be connected and pulling the other side at the stern. The ship moved slowly forward until it reached where it was to be berthed. The two tugboats then maneuvered it, turning it completely around before coming to the same side and carefully pushing this enormous cargo ship into its berth!
These tugboats were applying what Ecclesiastes 9:10 admonishes us to do: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (KJV). While watching the teamwork of the tugboats, Ecclesiastes 4:9 also came to mind, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour” (KJV). Much can be learned from teamwork, for when we work together, more is accomplished and with satisfaction.
I also remembered Isaiah 28:26: “For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him” (KJV). As tugboat operators need intense instruction in the skills they must perform, we, too, need the divine guidance in all we do in service for God and others. “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:6, NKJV).
What we concluded that day was that whatever you undertake, always do it well, even if you feel inadequate or unimportant. This is what Scuffy the little tugboat learned too.
Lyn Welk-Sandy
First published in Carolyn Rathbun Sutton, ed., In His Presence (Silver Spring, MD: General Conference Women’s Ministries Department, 2018), 316.
