"Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you" ...a much different approach than "do as I say, not as I do".

"Just do as I say!" 

Or perhaps nothing is said at all, as actions are louder than words ...especially violent ones.  Or actions often bring about loud reactions or utterances from the terrified victims.

Considering the definition of a pirate, as someone who attacks and steals from a ship at sea; or one who illegally copies/steals a product/invention.

Who actually 'likes' a liar, cheater, or thief??

Answer: Another liar, cheater, and thief ...who jumps at any opportunity, a challenge, or the thrill of competition.

Could a terror on the seas, or any place else ...be considered a terrorist??  And is 'once a terrorist, always a terrorist' an accurate statement?  Maybe not but, ...

...what really appears to be overall more intriguing to you: "Just do it!" or "Don't do it!!"??

What about someone who gets involved with attacks, and with stealing??

I am not talking like a pirate here ...because what I'm saying should in no way be confusing.  

That may be impossible, you could say ...but, I'm going to try to make it as possible as I can because it should be clear what I'm trying to say.

Many people pray that there will not be spiritual attacks, or as the saying goes, the workings of that which would aid in stealing your soul.

And no, it is not true that once a terrorist, always a terrorist ...though it may mostly be true. Once you do commit violent acts, it does have an effect upon you.  It is not the same as meeting the violence with an equal force to defend against the perpetrated terror.  The violence that most changes a person, is that which is initiated against another who is not violent ...whether you view them as innocent or not.

The idea that our God of the Bible directed violence against people, and that He did it as a sense of cleansing, was not a mere act of changing ideology. God aimed each time to act against what was already very cruel and violent. Today, it is so distorted to view violence as a pathway to cleansing ...when it is directed towards peaceful people, or mere ideologies.  Jesus chose to not destroy the person, nor even to destroy the ideology that was clearly destroying the people ...but, He instead offered a choice, an option, or a replacement for the type of thinking that was so self-destructive and destructive to others.

We have had reformations throughout our history ...and sadly, though they were not lasting, they were significant enough for a generation or two.  I will touch upon a bit of the idea of reform later.

Actually, I don't believe anybody can steal your soul.

Some people believe the soul to be more or less the feelings of a person ...and they use terms such as 'soul mates'.

I'd rather prefer the definition of soul being the spiritual aspect of a person. Yet, there is also the phrase that speaks of mind, body, and soul.  I've also heard of mind, soul, and spirit.

Whatever way you look at it, what I'm speaking of is our condition of salvation.

What is salvation??  Most would say, it is being saved by something.  So, what are we in need of being saved from??

Though I don't look at this life similar to a chance drawing out of a hat ...some people do look at it this way. And most people would at least say that whatever life they are living now ...could change at any moment.

The only people I feel would think it is a thought they may want to entertain ...drawing their life's condition out of a hat, I believe would be those who feel they have nothing to lose, their life being the worse they can imagine in their eyes.  They would possibly feel drawing from the hat could save them.  Save them from what??  Saving them from having to continue to live the life they are now living!!

Even a small improvement would be a relief for some people.

But, what if someone said they had the best draw out of the hat??  And what if we were told we could have the best that could be offered, and we could have it without any violent acts of stealing??

I was told that I could get that best draw ...by going to Jesus.  

And there would be a record, so I need not fear that I would lose my eternal standing.  I could not be robbed of it. 

Those of you who may not be pirates ...but, who may have lived a life in such an unforgiving way, that you feel you are not any better than a lowly pirate ...well, I have this to say to you:

You may think there's nothing about you that could possibly be 'liked'.  You may think you can never be forgiven for all the things you've done.

Well, you are wrong if you think this.

It is not about how many mistakes you've made ...it's more about your attitude towards them.  And it's not performance based, nor how well you succeed in overcoming the storms in your life.  It's about who you look to ...to get through the storms.

If I want to be a reformed pirate ...it's not about how long it takes for me to change my ways, it's about whether I want to change.

I hear the line, "Nobody's perfect!"  And that's true.

And though we can't imagine being perfect, we can all improve.  
What marks improvement??

It begins with accepting ...not just the idea of Jesus, nor the Name of Jesus, but what Jesus has said.  If it wasn't important, he wouldn't have said it.

How could we possibly say we accept Jesus, if we don't accept what He has chosen is important to have said to us??

And how can we please God??  By doing as He has clearly said.

I've also heard the line, "I can't do anything to please you!!"

It doesn't matter whether it is an adult addressing a child, a child expressing themselves to an adult, one spouse venting to another, or a worker assessing a relationship with an employer ...it usually involves independent ideas, not committed to solving anything.  And concerning God, we can do little or nothing to please Him ...other than accepting how He chose to love us, by sending Jesus. Who would argue that loving us is not pleasing us??

But, what becomes our major struggle, and the confusion that leads so readily to deception??  It is that we feel we know what's best for us.

What do we value more?  Is it acceptance, to be liked, or to be loved??

Most young people can't discern between being 'liked' and being loved.  Most of them are told they are loved by their parents ...and many of them don't view that as anything out of the ordinary.  They often don't know what it would be to not be told that by their parents, so they reserve the special feelings to other situations of acceptance.

Acceptance is often linked to a feeling of being 'liked'.

We see this drama played out on venues such as Facebook.  It makes a person feel special by the large number of 'like's, often compared to the number of 'like's someone else receives.  And they learn quickly what type of stuff generates the most 'like's.

It is an extension of what often takes place in social settings, one of the first ...being school.  There are those who are popular in school, and we see rules of engagement ...often which become rather cruel and insensitive at times. 

So, it is our desire to change and grow.

I could consider myself a reform pirate ...yet I, for certain, though am not in my younger form, am certainly not in complete reform either.

It is a process.  

We go to the doctor or dentist with a problem.  They explain the process they'd like us to go through ...as a pathway to better health. And after listening to what they have to say, we decide whether we want to accept their suggestion or recommendation.

We may avoid their recommendations for a time, though if our condition becomes worse, especially when aided by a bit of pain ...we may be more easily persuaded to follow their recommendations.

Yet, every problem is not this way.  Sometimes we don't feel the pain personally, and some times we may even view the problem as making us feel better ...for a time.

Some people who get depressed, feel that the emotional pain coupled with whatever other unbearable circumstances ...has no relief in sight, and will not change, being forever a burden to deal with.

And beyond time ...there is a true and actual forever.  It is what is referred to as eternal ...and it is a part of each and every one of us.  There are two types of eternity ...one that does provide relief, and the other is forever a burden, unchanging.