While we must stand alone in our place and be faithful to
our trust, our responsibility reaches only to our own duty. Others
beside us have their part also to do, and the perfection of the whole
work depends upon their faithfulness as well as upon ours. The best
any of us can do in this world is but a fragment. The old prophet
thought his work had failed because Baalism was not yet entirely
destroyed. Then he was told of three other men, who would come after
him--two kings and then another prophet, who each in turn would do his
part, when at last the destruction of the great alien idolatry would be
complete. Elijah's faithfulness had not failed, but his achievement
was only a fragment of the whole work.
This is very suggestive and very comforting. We are not responsible
for finishing everything we begin. It may be our part only to begin
it; the carrying on and finishing of it may be the work of others whom
we do not know, of others perhaps not yet born. We all enter into the
work of those who have gone before us, and others who come after us
shall in turn enter into our work. Our duty simply is to do well and
faithfully our own little part. If we do this we need never fret
ourselves about the part we cannot do. That is not our work at all,
but belongs to some other worker, waiting now, perchance, in some
obscure place, who at the right time will come forward with new heart
and skilful hand, anointed by God for his task.
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