Titus 1

Left Undone

Set in order the things that are wanting (AVm “left undone”) Titus 1:5.

If you turn to the first chapter of Titus you will find in the middle of the fifth verse these words: “Set in order the things that are wanting.” Now, if you look at the word “wanting” you will see a little figure 2 before it, and in the margin of your Bible you will see another little figure 2 with the words “Or, left undone” after it. That just means that “left undone” may be read instead of the word “wanting,” The translators have given us a choice.

I wish to speak to you today about “ the things that are left undone,” because the world would be a very much more comfortable, a very much happier, and a very much better place if it weren't for “the things that are left undone.” You know, it is an odd thing, but many good people are far more worried about the wrong things they do do, than the right things they don't do. And yet Jesus condemned people not so much for what they did do, as for what they didn't do. Do you remember the parable of the Good Samaritan? It was the priest and the Levite who “passed by on the other side,” who just didn't do the kind deed they might have done, that were blamed. And do you remember that other parable of the Last Judgment, where the sheep are separated from the goats? It is the people who just didn't do things who are condemned, those who omitted to help the hungry, and the thirsty, and the wretched, and the needy.

1. Well, you know little things grow out of big things, and so I want to say to you first watch the little “left undones” of every-day life.

Don't leave bits undone in your work. Whatever you do, do thoroughly. Have the bits that don't show just as nice as the bits that do show. Little “left undones” lead to big disasters sometimes. It was because the artillery failed to cut the barbed wire properly that one of the great battles of World War I was lost and thousands of brave lives were sacrificed unnecessarily.

When you take up a piece of work go right through with it till you have completed it. Finish off all your loose ends. It was said of Coleridge, the poet, that he was a giant in intellect but a child in performance. He was head and shoulders above his fellows in ability, but he was the greatest failure of them all because he seldom finished anything he began. If you want to accomplish anything worth doing, you must finish it right to the end.

And then, when you have finished anything, whether work or play, don't leave your things lying about for other people to put away. It isn't playing the game,

and if you continue to behave like that you will become a horrid nuisance when you grow up.

2. But there are bigger things in life that get left undone. There are kind words that are never spoken, and kind deeds that are never done, just because people are too shy, or too lazy, or too thoughtless, or too selfish to say them or do them. And so somebody goes sad because we forgot to smile, and somebody goes disheartened because of the word of praise we omitted to say, and somebody goes weary because of the burden we didn't help to lift.

Three hundred years ago there lived a great Portuguese poet Luis de Camoens. As a young man Camoens fought bravely against the Moors and lost one eye. Later he travelled to India. There he protested against the cruelty of the Portuguese settlers to the native Hindus. For this he was arrested and banished to China. On his way to China he was shipwrecked and only just escaped drowning. But he managed to save the papers on which was written his finest poem, “The Lusiads.”

After sixteen years Camoens returned to Lisbon with an old Indian servant, Antonio. The poet was penniless and sick, and Antonio begged for him in the streets. A nobleman visited him in his wretched room and requested him to write verses for him. Camoens asked for a dollar, so that Antonio might buy some coal, for they were starving. The grandee departed without giving any help, and shortly after the poet was removed to an almshouse, where he died.

Over his grave they placed a stone on which was inscribed: “Here lies Luis de Camoens; he excelled all the poets of his time; he lived poor and miserable; and he died so, 1629.”

But after a while people began to feel rather ashamed of that inscription. So they took away the stone and erected a fine monument in its place. And on this other stone they gave an account of the wonderful work of the poet and praised him as a great Portuguese. But they said nothing about his miserable death.

Boys and girls, do you think it made any difference to Luis de Camoens that his fellow-countrymen erected a grand tombstone to his memory? Would it not have helped him ever so much more if they had showed him a little kindness in his lifetime? He asked for bread, and they gave him a stone.

Don't wait till it is too late to be kind, don't be one of the “left undone” people, for

It isn't the thing yon do, dear,

It's the thing you leave undone,

That gives you a bit of heartache

At the setting of the sun.

3. There is some special bit of work in the world “left undone” for each of you to do. You wouldn't be here if there weren't, and it won't be done if you don't do it. Find out what it is and do it. God will show you how if you ask Him.