The Sideline Sitter

We are deprived of much we might enjoy when we are too content to sit on the sidelines – too content to let others create all the ideas and seize all the opportunities, when we let others do too much for us that would be interesting and exciting to do for ourselves. The Creator would not have given us the ability to think if He had not expected us to think some things for ourselves. He would not have given us the ability to act, if He had not expected us to use our own initiative to do useful things, to improve products and processes, and to find better ways of working, and improving, and of doing and deciding many things for ourselves.

“He that is compelled in all things…is a slothful…servant.” Men should do many things for themselves – and not be too dependent upon other people. And he who only does what he has to do will fall far short of being what he might have been.

All of us have gifts and abilities beyond what we have ever used or developed. All of us can think useful thoughts that we have never thought, and do good things we have never done. Always before us are the possibilities of invention, creation, improvement, repentance, which makes life interesting and encouraging, and always worthwhile. The best way of doing anything has not yet likely been done. And we shouldn’t be content with what is, as long as it could be better.

And no man is justified in expecting others to do for him what he should do to develop himself. For the good of us and others, and for the enjoyment of life, we should use our powers of mind and muscle and spirit, and be a participating part, and not always or too often be a sideline sitter.