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THE BEST THAT I CAN

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 12, 1872

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 40, No. 22.

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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 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 am I 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, Nor the cloud with its chalice full! How, why, and for what, all strange things were; She was only a child at school! But thought: “It is a part of God’s great plan That even I should do all that I can!”
So she helped a younger child along, When the road was rough to the feet, And she sang from the heart a little song That we all thought passing sweet, And her father, a weary, toil-worn man, Said: “I too will do 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 ’tis strength from above—for the Master’s plan— We’ll pray and we’ll do the best that we can.