But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. – Numbers 32:23

Today's Scripture Reading (February 12, 2025): Numbers 32

It is a Silly Song. Actually, that statement is quite literal. The song is part of a special class of VeggieTales songs; if you have no idea what VeggieTales might be you need more children in your life. In this case, the song begins with "And now it's time for Silly Songs With Larry. The part of the show where Larry comes out and sings a silly song." There are several "Silly Songs;" one of my favorites (yes, adults are allowed to have favorite "Silly Songs") is "The Hairbrush Song," a song about a Cucumber named Larry who has lost his hairbrush, an event of significant trauma even though Larry has no hair. 

But today's "Silly Song" is "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything." The song lists several things that these pirates have never done.

        Well, I've never plucked a rooster.

        And I'm not too good at ping-pong.

        And I've never thrown my mashed potatoes up against the wall.

        And I've never kissed a chipmunk.

        And I've never gotten head lice.

        And I've never been to Boston in the fall.

(I guess if this is a list of qualifications for being a pirate who doesn't do anything, I qualify. The line "And I've never been to Boston in the fall" is repeated throughout the song, so it must be an essential characteristic of a pirate who doesn't do anything.)

        'Cause we're the pirates who don't do anything

        We just stay at home and lie around.

        And if you ask us to do anything

        We'll just tell you, we don't do anything (Mike Nawrocki, Kurt Henry Heinecke).

The people of the tribes of Reuben and Gad decided that they wanted to make their home on the east side of the Jordan River. The problem Moses and the leadership had with the suggestion was that the rest of the tribes would have to go to war to take the land on the west side of the Jordan River. It is a task that Moses knows they will need every male to achieve, including the men of Gad and Reuben. In response, Gad and Reuben promise that they will help take the land on the west side of the Jordan, even though they will have no inheritance there. The idea is that the land on both sides of the Jordan would become the nation of Israel.

Moses accepts the promise but then adds that if they don't follow through on their promise, if they decide not to do anything, that will be a sin against God. Charles Spurgeon preached a sermon based on this passage entitled "The Great Sin of Doing Nothing." In it, he makes this observation.

        A do-nothing professor is a merely nominal member, and a nominal member is a real hindrance. He         neither contributes, nor prays, nor works, nor agonizes for souls, nor takes any part in Christian                service, and yet he partakes in all the privileges of the church. Is this fair? What is the use of him?         He sits and hears, and sometimes sleeps under the sermon. That is all (Charles Spurgeon).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Numbers 33