The Best That I Can
"I CANNOT do much," said a little star,
"To make the dark world bright
My silvery beams cannot struggle far
Through the folding gloom of night.
But I'm only a part of God's great plan,
And I'll cheerfully do the best that I can."
"What is the use," said a fleecy cloud,
"Of these few drops that I hold?
They will hardly bend the lily proud,
Though caught in her cup of gold;
Yet I'm a part of God's great plan,
So my treasures I'll give, as well as I can."
A child went merrily forth to play;
But a thought, like a silver thread,
Kept winding in and out all day,
Through the happy, golden head:
Mother said, "Darling, do all you can;
For you are a part of God's great plan."
She knew no more than the glancing star,
Or the cloud with its chalice full,
How, why, and for what, all strange things were;
She was only a child at school!
But she thought,
"It is part of God's great plan,
That even I should do all that I can."
She helped a younger child along,
When the road was rough to the feet;
And she sang from her heart a little song
That we all thought passing sweet;
And her father, a weary, toil-worn man,
Said, "I will do likewise the best that I can."
Our best? Ah! children, the best of us
Must hide our faces away,
When the Lord of the vineyard comes to look
At our task at the close of day!
But for strength from above
('tis the Master's plan),
We'll pray,
and we'll do the best that we can.
—Select
