' Aubrey de Vere.
ST. LUKE X. 42 229
world is to feel strongly that "one thing is needful"; to have one paramount object to which all others shall be subordinated, and to which the undivided efforts of mind and body shall be devoted.
^ Amongst an otherwise infinite variety of qualities, one is always the same, one always appears prominent, in the characters of those who have stamped their image and superscription on the history of man. They have been men devoted to one grand object ; men not careful and troubled about many things, but to whom one thing, whatever that thing might be, seemed needful ; men of one idea, of one pursuit, to which they made all else accessory. And this was the secret of their success. For this unity of purpose is to the mental powers what the burning glass is to the sun's rays. By concentrating them it makes them irresistible. The faculties which, if scattered, would have been weak and ineffectual, when made to converge on a single object, become a consuming fire. No opposition, unless equally concen- trated and therefore equally energetic, can in the long run resist the concentrated force of all the powers of even a single average mind, steadily directed to one darling purpose.^
(2) One thing is needful for spiritual attainment. — Just as for success in this life, considered as far as possible irrespectively of the next, we have seen that it is needful to have one main object, so does the same truth apply to the next life, with this limitation only, that as success in the next life means only one thing, so it can be attained in only one way. For it is obvious that nothing can give satisfaction to the immortal spirit save the being at one with Him from whom it is derived — " the God of the spirits of all flesh." Union with God is therefore the " one thing needful " for eternal happiness ; and unless that union be attained already here, we have no sure ground for hope that it may be attained hereafter. For death, which is simply the transition from this world to the next, cannot at once, as by magic, change the character. He that is filthy here will after death be filthy still ; death cannot make him holy ; death cannot give the one thing needful. It must be sought and gained now, if it is to be possessed then. The one thing needful for eternity must therefore be the one thing needful for time. Here then we have an object set before us, in comparison with which all
» C. P. Reichel.
230 THE ONE THING NEEDFUL
other objects are insignificant, an object, to succeed in which is a greater triumph than to gain the empire of the whole world.
^ Many things we may have^ but one thing we must have, if life is to be life. Many things are useful, many are important ; but one is necessary, absolutely necessary. Mary had chosen it ; and we are almost given to understand — though Jesus gently refrains from saying so — that Martha had not. While Martha was preparing one meal, Mary was enjoying another; for the " portion " of which Jesus speaks is the word used elsewhere for the share of a meal. Two banquets were preparing in that house ; and Mary was already sitting at the table of her Lord in the heavenly world, partaking, at His gracious hand, of that bread of which he who takes shall never hunger again. This portion could never be taken away from her.^
As 'mid the thickness of some leafy wood The sun-beams find a passage here and there.
And light some spot which erst in shadow stood, Making each leaflet look more bright and fair.
While other patches, that lie round it, miss
The ray of radiant Light that fills itself with bliss,—
So is it in the tangled wood of life:
Some souls there are that keep the open way,
Free from the boughs of earthly hindrance, rife For every advent of the Heavenly ray; —
Eeady to catch it as in love it comes
To seek the loving souls that are its willing homes.^
(3) One thing is needful for Christian service. — We all know the difference between the gift that is the expression of a grateful heart and the gift the value of which lies in its costliness. The worth of the one is exactly measured by its price in the market, by the immediate use to which it can be put, or in the exchange which it will secure. The other may have no market value. It is but a withered flower, a bit of ribbon, a leaf sent in a letter, some fragment of handiwork ; but it is the expression of a love that is embodied in the gift, a love that tries to find utterance, that does not wait to obtain a gift of value, but that knows its
* J. E. McFadyen, TJie City vnth Foundatiorts, 16.
* John Sharp, Poems and Hymns,
ST. LUKE X. 42 231
own worth, and rejoices in the opportunity to pour itself out upon the one who has called it forth.
^ One of the family was a little lad who was weak-minded, and him the father and mother specially loved. Yet there was little response to their affection. But one day, when the other children were gathering flowers and bringing them to their parents, the poor little lad gathered a bundle of dry sticks and brought them to his father. " I valued those sticks," said the father afterwards, " far more than the fairest flowers." We are not all equally gifted — some can bring lovely flowers to God's service and honour ; others can only gather dry sticks. But even the " cup of cold water " is accepted by Him.