I’ve been reading the laws of England in the mid-1500s.  Boring, you say?  Nope, eye-opening.  Actually, shocking would better describe them. In an effort to better understand the Pilgrims, I’ve been reading original Parliamentary documents and Puritan personal journals.   Why should the government decide how everyone must worship?  And cruelly punish them if they don’t?  The persecution, hardships, and deprivations that befell the Puritans who resisted the government for the sake of conscience is hard to imagine.
So my head is full of facts. But what good does that do? Even if I manage to convey the facts to others, what good does it do them? Not much- unless we are moved to personal change. It’s good to appreciate their sacrifices. But much better to be willing to make our own sacrifices. It’s good to admire their bravery. But much better to be brave ourselves. It’s good to be amazed at their perseverance born out of utter faith in God. But much better to have such faith.
I’ve been motivated during my study of the Puritans to stop and assess what was good in their actions, and what beliefs motivated them. Then I’ve been asking myself, “How can I imitate their good deeds in my day-to-day life?”

Just considering their time on the Mayflower,  not even the terrible hardships later, something strikes me as imitation worthy. Those simple, ordinary men and women hung on, not with a grit-your-teeth gloom, but with gracious acceptance of their trials, and hope that God would give them a better tomorrow. Because of delays out of their control, they were forced to live in horrible circumstances aboard their ship for six months. Yes, you read it right. They were delayed leaving for the New World by one and half months, during which they had no choice but to live on the ship. Then the voyage took twice as long as hoped because of vicious storms that blew against their progress-66 days. When they finally arrived, winter had already set in and the only shelter from wind and snow was their cramped ship. Although they arrived in early November, the exact site suitable for their needs wasn’t found until December.  No housing on land was ready until late January. The first completed building was turned into a clinic for the sick.  From January to March, half of them died from disease caused by malnutrition, cold, dampness, and lack of ventilation, sunshine, and exercise. One hundred of them had been cooped up in a 1500 square foot area for too many months, so once the disease started, nearly all got it. Only half survived. Yet in spite of losing spouses and children, somehow they found the grace to push forward as they built a new life without looking back. And through it all, they unselfishly took care of each other without grumbling.

From William Bradford’s journal, “The spring now approaching, it pleased God the mortality began to cease amongst them, and y^e sick and lame recovered apace, which put as it were new life into them; though they had borne their sadd affliction with much patience & contentednes, as I thinke any people could doe. But it was y^e Lord which upheld them, and had beforehand prepared them; many having long borne y^e yoake, yea from their youth.”

What was their bedrock through all this suffering on board ship? They barely survived on meager rations of hard tack, dried meat, and beer. What was their beacon through the literal darkness? The gun deck where they existed had no windows, only five-foot ceilings, and leaked cold, wet wind. What was their fortitude when there was no water to bathe or wash their filthy clothes with? What was their comfort when their spouses and children died of deprivation and sickness? They believed God was with them, leading them, and empowering them. They encouraged themselves by reading Scripture, praying, singing, talking with each other, and helping others.

“Besids, what could they see but a hidious & desolate wildernes, full of wild beasts & wild men? . . .What could now sustaine them but the spirite of God & his grace? . . .  “but they cried unto y^e Lord, and he heard their voyce, and looked on their adversitie.  Let them therfore praise y^e Lord, because he is good, & his mercies endure for ever. . . and found no citie to dwell in, both hungrie, & thirstie, their sowle was overwhelmed in them. Let them confess before y^e Lord his loving kindnes, and his wonderfull works before y^e sons of men'”. William Bradford quoting from Deuteronomy 26:5, 7 and Psalm 107

If they could endure all that – knowing that ahead of them lay even greater dangers when they disembarked, then surely I can face the difficulties in my easy life. I want that kind of strong faith. I want that courage. I want that commitment. I want that unselfishness.We’ll all be tested in different ways. In our affluent times, we’re tempted to be too comfortable, too self-sufficient, too seflish because we have been given such abundance. But let’s be alert to these enemies. Let’s find our strength in community, God’s Word, and prayer.

Often when I sit down to a nutritious meal, I think of them and appreciate my food more. When I’m tempted to complain about laundry to be done, I think of them so desperate for clean clothes that they faced winter winds and frigid water to wash their clothes by hand. Some of them, soaked from wading ashore carrying their wives and dirty clothes, caught cold which weakened them in a downhill slide toward death. When I sit on our comfortable sofa and talk with dear Husband, I think of them with no comfortable place to sit and no privacy to talk. What would they have given for a hot shower and a private bedroom?! When I sit at my computer to study or text, I think of them cut off from the world, their relatives, information, and help. When something small irritates me, I wonder how they lived, slept, ate, and suffered crowded next to each other in the dark and cold.

So when we read history, current events, or the Bible, I hope it changes us. I hope we think about the things that are true. I hope we focus on the honorable and right. I hope we fill our thoughts with was is pure and lovely. I hope we notice the admirable people. I hope we respect excellence, and are eager to find what is worth admiring. A beautiful thing happens when we fill our mind with these; we begin to be true and honorable. We are encouraged to do the right thing. We want to make things and relationships beautiful. We value purity. We want to be admirable. We strive for excellence, and are quick to praise.

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me [Apostle Paul]—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9