Faith & Works

There was an old man who operated a rowboat for ferrying passengers between an island and the mainland. One day a passenger noticed that he had painted on one oar the word Works, and on the other oar the word Faith.

Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of this.

The old man replied, I will show you, dropping one oar, rowing only with the oar named Works. Of course, the boat just went around in circles. Then he switched oars, picking up Faith and dropping Works. And the little rowboat went around in circles again—this time in the opposite direction.

After this demonstration, the old man picked up both oars Faith and Works, and rowing with both oars together swiftly coursed over the water.

He looked at the passenger and said, You see, that is the way it is in life as well as in rowing a boat. You got to keep both oars in the water, otherwise, you’ll just go in circles...