THE COMMON DUTIES OF LIFE

 

By Charles Haddon Spurgeon

 

It is sinful to neglect the common duties of life under the idea that we shall do something more, by-and-by.

 

You do not obey your parents, young man, and yet you are going to be a minister, are you? A pretty minister will you make! As an apprentice you are very dilatory and neglectful — and your master would be glad to see the back of you! He wishes that he could burn your indentures and yet you have an idea you are going to be a missionary, I believe. A pretty missionary you would be!

 

There is a mother at home and her children are neglected while she talks to her neighbors. But when her children are off her hands, she is going to be a true mother in Israel and look after the souls of others. Such conduct is sin! Mind your children! Darn the stockings and attend to your other home duties! And when you have done that, talk about doing something in other places. If present duties are neglected, you cannot make up for the omission by some future piece of quixotic endeavor to do what you were never called to do!

 

If we could all be quiet enough to hear that clock tick, we should hear it say, “Now! Now! Now! Now!” The clock resembles the call of God in the DAILY DUTIES of the hour. “To him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin,” even though he may dream of how he will, in years to come, make up for his present neglect!"