To do what ought to be done...

My Fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, was founded in December of 1848 during the semester break at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio by six close friends.  One of them, Robert Morrison, is known to have said "to do what ought to be done, but would not have been done had I not done it, I thought to be my duty."  What's important is what needs to get done more so than who does it.

There might be a need for someone to fill a specific position on the Chapter Advisory Board for a local Phi Delt Chapter.  There might be a need for a local Phi Delt Alumni Club to get started.  It is indeed a very good thing if at least one person has the desire to step in to address at least one of these needs.  Although I would feel honored to be the one who is responsible for filling a specific CAB position or for starting a local Alumni Club, I would not feel slighted if someone else were to address one or more of those needs.  What's important is that these things get done.

As an undergraduate it was difficult to think like that.  Each individual wants to make a name for himself.  Each individual wants to leave a legacy of great influence.  Most of us had not yet established ourselves in life yet.  So if someone else were to address a certain need by taking a key office or committee position, the person left behind may feel slighted.  At that age it was fairly common to lack a certain level of maturity.  But after time passes by we realize that it really was needless to become disappointed about someone else getting to serve in a certain capacity rather than us.  What's important is that things got done.  And in the end, we are all Brothers working together.

Numbers 11: 25-29
Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48