Scallywag or Saint?

Scallywag or Saint?

The more I search through the stories of my ancestry, the more I realize how the world hasn’t really changed all that much in the last 300 years or as far back as I can get information.  There were saints, sinners and scoundrels, and scallywags but all were human.

Today I looked at a man whose name was Thomas Gardner who was my 5th Great Grandfather on my mother’s side of the family.  He was born in 1724 and was 71 when he died.  The time before his death included some pretty impressive things.

I found one document that stated that he fought against the British in their efforts to take land from the settlers.  Most settlers held Indian titles which meant the Native Americans were actually the owners but these settlers were able to build on these lands until the British decided to confiscate the land from the colonists and the Indians.  The British passed a bill to extinguish these titles at the discretion of they themselves for themselves.  When the settlers would not give up the land they would be thrown into jail.  It is noted in one document that Thomas Gardner actually participated in several “jailbreaks” to free his neighbors.

I see Thomas Gardner as a hero, a courageous man who fought for what was right.  It is also noted that he was awarded a Patriots award for fighting gallantly in the Revolutionary War as a colonel.  What a heritage!  But I will tell you there were plenty of scallywags in our family history as well.

Most of us know what a scallywag is, at least in my age group,  but how many of us have a good understanding of saints?  A saint, according to the new testament, is one who accepts Christ as their Savior and is living a Christian life.

In 1 Corinthians we are called to be saints.

Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
1 Corinthians 1:2 KJV

Throughout the New Testament, those who call on the Lord Jesus for salvation are all saints.  We are all fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.  Amazingly, the Apostle Paul, though highly used by God, was no more a saint than you and me.  This is not to be used in a prideful way but for us to see our value in God’s eyes.  I’m not expecting to be called Saint Jeanie anytime soon because in my mind, I fall closer to being a scallywag than the saint.  None the less, I have called on the Lord for my salvation I will be numbered with the saints when He comes for His church.

As I write about my 5th Great grandfather, I wondered if he would be numbered with the saints, if he had asked Jesus into his heart. I found a short paragraph at the end of his will that may have indicated that he was a believer.

My flesh shall slumber in the ground
Till the last trumpet’s joyful sound;
Then burst the chains with sweet surprise,
And in my Savior’s image rise.

See you on that day, Great Grandfather!