Where individual actions can sometimes feel small, it is very easy to think, “What difference can I make?” Whether it is casting a vote, speaking up for truth, or standing for justice when it is unpopular, we often fall into the trap of believing our contribution does not matter.
But both Stoic philosophy and Christian faith reject that idea entirely; they insist that moral action is not measured by outcome, but by obedience, to reason, to conscience, and above all, to God.
Marcus Aurelius reminded himself: “You must build up your life action by action, and be content if each one achieves its goal as far as possible, and no one can keep you from this.”
And the Scripture declares: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” – Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
So your duty is not just about success or recognition; it is about faithfulness.
The Stoic View: Action is the Measure of Character
For the Stoics, duty was sacred. Epictetus taught that philosophy was not for idle speculation but for right living: “Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” And Marcus Aurelius wrote as an emperor surrounded by politics, power, and corruption, but yet he saw very clearly that the only thing truly in his control was his own actions.
Whether others acted justly or not, he believed the philosopher and the virtuous citizen must still do his part for the community. “What is not good for the hive, cannot be good for the bee.” – Meditations, 6.54
This sense of civic and moral responsibility is central to Stoicism. Even when the world seemed dark or politics corrupt, the Stoic could not abandon their role; they knew that to live rightly meant to act justly, regardless of reward or applause.
The Christian Call: Duty as Worship
The Bible tells, gives and instructs with this truth but raises it higher for Christians, duty is not only civic; it is spiritual. Doing what is right, even when unseen, is a form of worship to God.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9
Jesus praised the faithful servant who did his master’s will, not because of the scale of his work, but because of his faithfulness. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), those who multiplied what they were given were called “good and faithful servants.” But the one who buried his gift was rebuked.
Duty, then, is not optional; it is a sign of stewardship of recognizing that what we have, our time, influence, skills, and voice, was entrusted to us by God for the good of others.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells a story that is as piercing today as it was two thousand plus years ago; the Parable of the Talents. A master, before leaving on a long journey, entrusts his servants with varying sums of money: five talents to one, two to another, and one to the last, each according to his ability.
When the master returns, he finds that the first two servants have doubled what they were given, but the third, out of fear and caution, buried his talent in the ground, and so he returns it untouched, safe but fruitless.
The master’s response is sharp and unsettling:
For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. – Matthew 25:29
It is a haunting lesson not about greed, but about growth. Not about accumulation, but very very much about stewardship. The parable is not condemning those who have little, but those who refuse to do something with what they have.
Continue Reading: The Parable of The Talents: We Must Increase What We Have Been Given
When we do good, vote, speak truth, or serve others, we may not see immediate change, but that is not the measure of success. The measure is whether we obeyed what conscience and above all, Christ asked of us. “To one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” – James 4:17
There is a kind of sin we do not talk about enough; it is not loud, and it does not come with headlines. Often it feels passive, almost harmless, yet it quietly erases and kills our integrity and moral clarity. This is what James 4:17 brings it into sharp focus:
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.- James 4:17 ESV
This verse is not about committing obvious wrongs, not at all, and I am not saying it is not obvious but some times if not most times, it can seem subtle, and it is about failing to act when you know you should: It is the sin of silence when someone needs defending; the sin of comfort when sacrifice is required. The sin of delay when action is urgent.
Continue Reading: The Sin of Knowing And Not Doing
It is not enough to know the good, we must do it. Not to change the whole world, but to be faithful in our corner of it.
The Danger of Apathy: When Duty is Ignored
When people stop believing their duty matters, decay sets in, in societies, in families, in souls. Marcus Aurelius warned that when individuals neglect their role in the common good, the society weakens.
And as Jesus spoke of the servant who hid his talent out of fear, laziness, or excuses and was cast out; the message is the same: Doing nothing is never neutral.
Our silence enables injustice! Our passivity feeds corruption! Our apathy allows evil to flourish! The Stoic acts out of reason; the Christian acts out of love, but both know that doing nothing, when something can be done is a failure of virtue.
It is a seductive lie most people too often than not, tell themselves: If I do not look at it, if I act like I did not see it, I am not responsible for it. If we can keep our eyes shut, then our hands will be clean, and our hearts untouched, and we can go on with life guilt-free, but deep down, we know better, at least for the most of us. To deliberately ignore what is wrong is to quietly and other times openly accept it. In other words, to stay silent in the face of danger, injustice, or corruption is to participate in it.
And another thing is this; this lie is not new. Following the Daily Stoic podcast by Ryan Holiday, in Shakespeare’s Richard III, the character Brackenbury receives a clear order that will result in the murder of an innocent man, and what was his excuse? “I will not reason what is meant hereby, because I will be guiltless from the meaning.” But history and morality do not accept that kind of denial, and according to Ryan Holiday, neither does Stoicism.
Continue Reading: Closing Your Eyes Is Not An Excuse
Do Your Part: Small Acts, Eternal Impact
A Stoic might say, “The universe is your city.” A Christian would say, “The earth is the Lord’s.” And both say that your place in the world matters.
You may not be able to fix everything, but you can be faithful where you are, in your home, in your work, in your community. When you do your part, you multiply good in ways unseen.
“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” – Colossians 3:17
Every small act of honesty, service, or compassion is a thread in the fabric of God’s greater plan.
Read Also: You Don’t Get to Be Apolitical: The Stoic Duty to Stand Up and Speak
Read Also: Beyond Recognition: The True Measure of Goodness
Read Also: Don’t Just Talk About Being Good; Be Good!
Conclusion
Doing your duty, to your family, your nation, your neighbor, your faith, may feel ordinary, even unseen, but in the eyes of eternity, it is sacred.
So do not withdraw from the world because it is imperfect. Do not excuse inaction because the system is broken. Like Marcus Aurelius, act justly even among the unjust, and most importantly like Jesus, serve faithfully even when it costs you, because each of us has a duty and you must do your part.
