John Parker was responsible for guarding the door which led to Lincoln’s balcony at Ford’s theatre. Since he could not see the play while protecting Lincoln, he left and took a seat so he could enjoy the play. This allowed Booth access to murder President Lincoln. Our duty is what has been assigned to us. Refusing to do our duty is showing a lack of consideration for the Lord (Rom 14:6, Lamsa) and will result in the Lord punishing us (Lk 12:47, LB). “A perfect man would never act from a sense of duty… Duty is only a substitute for love, like a crutch at times; but, of course, it is idiotic to use the crutch when our own legs can do the journey on their own” (C. S. Lewis).
We don’t have perfect love – so we need to do our duty. In fact, we are to do all the duties assigned to us and to fully do them (2 Tim 4:5, NEB with TNT). Failure in duty has a ripple effect that we cannot fully predict. As Henry Ward Beecher put it, “He who is false to present duty breaks a thread in the loom, and will find the flaw when he may have forgotten the cause.” For instance, we may seldom reach out to touch our spouse but wonder why they feel disconnected from us. Similarly, trying to be understanding, we let our children play first before we make them do their work – then can’t understand why they struggle with procrastination and laziness once they become a more self-regulating teen.
Doing our duty may not be fun. Eventually, though, it can bring us peace, joy, and happiness (Ps 106:3, Moffatt). Doing our duty also prepares us for favorable opportunities (Col 4:5, WSNT note). Being faithful to love and to do our duty in the small things is mostly what life is all about. That is true success.
Instead of being timid, learn to be appropriately bold.