Eat yer spinach, just like Popeye

When two of our grandsons spent a few days with us recently, we asked them whether they liked spinach. Both emphatically replied, “Yes!” While helping my wife with dinner by preparing the spinach, I started singing a version of the Popeye song I learned while young.

Here goes: “I’m Popeye the Sailor Man, I live in a garbage can. I eat all the worms and spit out the germs, I’m Popeye the Sailor Man.”

The grandsons got a kick out of that, and it got me thinking about this article and verses I could make up based on my thoughts. Then, I decided to check the original song and found it already included most of what I was thinking about for this article.

Here are those words: “I’m Popeye the Sailor Man, I’m Popeye the Sailor Man. I’m strong to the finich, cause I eats me spinach. I’m Popeye the Sailor Man. I’m one tough gazookus, which hates all palookas, wot ain’t on the up and square. I biffs ‘em and buffs ‘em, and always outroughs ‘em, But none of ‘em gets nowhere. If anyone dares to risk my ‘fisk,’ it’s ‘boff’ an’ it’s ‘wham,’ un’erstan’? So keep ‘good be-hav-or,’ that’s your one life saver, with Popeye the Sailor Man. I’m Popeye the Sailor Man, I’m Popeye the Sailor Man. I’m strong to the finich, Cause I eats me spinach. I’m Popeye the Sailor Man.”

First, Popeye attributes his strength to eating spinach. Consuming God’s word as real spiritual food makes Christians “strong to the finich” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4; 1:8; Philippians 4:13). The word of God not only strengthens, it’s pleasant and comforting for those trying to live to please God (Psalm 119:103; 1 Peter 2:1-3; John 6:27-35; 1:1-5).

Next, Popeye says he “hates all palookas” and even gives them a knockout punch. The Bible is listed among the armor God provides for our protection (Ephesians 6:10-18). All of the pieces are defensive in nature, but the word is also a weapon against the greatest palooka, Satan (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Even when Satan wasn’t “on the up and square,” misusing the word couldn’t defeat Jesus and he cannot defeat us when we resist him (James 4:6-10; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 2:11).

Finally, Popeye sang of “good be-hav-or.” When we put God’s word into practice correctly to guide our behavior, it provides all of God’s intended benefits, including our salvation, as well as the salvation of those who see and want to emulate our example (Isaiah 55:10-11; 2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:22-24; 1 Timothy 4:12-16). This also allows us to “finich” whatever tasks God presents us with now so we can attain eternal life (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; Titus 2:11-14).

So, be strong in the Lord by daily consumption of his word to fend off Satan’s tactics and, thereby, live with “good be-hav-or” pleasing our “one life saver (Ephesians 5:8-17; Acts 4:12).” Then you won’t wind up as an unconsumable worm in the eternal garbage can (Mark 9:43-48)!

Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected].