The Pulpit Speaks: October 8, 1960

An article written by my father, the Rev. C. Thomas Paige, as it appeared in the Tri-State Defender on the date shown.

“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” — John 9:4

What is your most precious possession today? Many of us will point to any number of things. These things will have all types of value attached to them as far as we are concerned. In spite of all the value we attach to them, there are still some things that prevent us from being the type of persons we should be. Our real possessions are not those things that make for temporal gains but ofttimes make for impediments in our lives.

A few days ago I was warned that I take things too seriously. That refrain has been whispered in the ears of the people down through the ages. Many times this is whispered in hopes that dedication to a cause might be lessened. In spite of all the warnings to the same, we must be able to rise up and declare ourselves above such proposals to lessen our desire to do a job well.

Years ago, Jesus stated that I must do the work of Him that sent me, for the night cometh when no man can work. The night may appear in different forms in many of our lives. Any phase of incapacitation may be interpreted as the “night.” It is at this point that life becomes a challenge. The only justification for living, according to one author, is service. Whenever a person gets to the place that he is not willing to render service, life holds nothing for him.

This, then, is the point Jesus wanted to impress upon His hearers when He uttered the principle thought of our thinking for this week. As life goes on, the fact of us rising up to the occasion in terms of dedication and consecration will be the real factor in making us what we should be.

A long time ago, a man mentioned in my hearing that anyone who had a greater love for something else rather than what he was doing, should do that. Whatever we are doing today – if it is no more than just living – we need to put our all into it. We are all responsible today. Everything we do, all that we say, and many of the things we think, will, one of these days, haunt us.

Life has finally gotten – or should be getting – to the point for each of us that it is serious. Things all about us say to all of us that something wrong is going on. The increased crimes and loss of moral and spiritual values in this life should say something to all of us. Today is a day of maturity. We and all about us must grow up to the point where we are going to do those basic things expected of us. Nothing short of this will ever matter. We must concern ourselves, fully and meaningfully, with the things having greatest value.

It is a foregone thought that, if our efforts will ever amount to anything, they must be based upon a seriousness that will make for us doing a job becoming to the responsibilities of our day. The indifference shown by many responsible people in responsible places can be held accountable for much of our modern day condition. Everything points to the fact that early we must rise up to the occasion before us and do that will all of our might.