The Pulpit Speaks: June 10, 1961

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

Have you made someone happy, or made someone sad,
What have you done with the day that you had?
God gave it to you to do just as you would
Did you do what was wicked, or what was good?
Did you hand out a smile, or just give ’em a frown,
Did you lift someone up — or push someone down?
Did you lighten some load, or some progress impede,
Did you look for a rose, or just gather a weed?
What did you do with your beautiful day?
God gave it to you. Did you throw it away?
— Author unknown

This poem — “It’s Up To You” — should provoke thought from many or, in fact, all of us. Day by day, we are entrusted with not only days but talents, influence, power, prestige and the like. All of these can be used to the upbuilding of God’s kingdom. What we did with each of them poses questions that only we can answer. At the end of each day, we should ask ourselves a personal question: what did I do with this just departed day?

Not only is it a great question — what we did with the day — equally important is the question of what we did with ourselves. Did we allow little things to creep into our lives and thwart many chances for doing something worthwhile? This is true in far too many instances. These are no times for letting little things creep into our lives and cancel the influence we should exert and should maintain for the good of all concerned.

Today as never before we need people of influence. Not only must they have influence, but this influence must be positive. Never before in the history of mankind has this been so important!

Each man must see himself as a steward. All that we have or control must be used for the extension of God’s kingdom. Whatever the state of human existence, we are partly to blame or to be commended. The way that we use our lives and our properties must be in such a manner that we will glorify the whole cause of mankind. Our sole reason for being is wrapped up in the fact that we must use all that we can for the betterment of this world. Anything short of that is wrong, drastically wrong.

Our lives are the results of blessings handed down to us by God. Our lives should be a continuous series of actions showing to God that we thank Him for these blessings we receive from day to day. We cannot forfeit all of our opportunities to do good over the idea of inactivity. Today – as never before – we must be active. We must be up and doing.

This action and up and doing must be far more vital than it has ever been before. Each one of us must find something for which we can stand and, having done that, stand for it with all of our might. This is the only solution for each of us.

Today, Sunday Schools throughout the United States discussed the idea of making life meaningful. We have come to the crossroads in life. It is a mandatory fact that each of us will fight as we have never fought before to find the real meaningful things of life and make them a vital part of our lives.