ONE'S identity is brought out or manifested by filling one's own place. No one can do another's work. As Mrs. Eddy writes in "Retrospection and Introspection" (p. 70), "Each individual must fill his own niche in time and eternity."
In the seventeenth chapter of Exodus, in the record of the battle in Rephidim, we are given a remarkable illustration of doing our work by filling our place. In this battle Amalek, the exponent of error, was arrayed against Moses, Truth's representative. Moses, with the "rod of God" in his hand, went up to the hilltop; and Aaron and Hur went up with him. Below, Joshua was in command; and every private was in his own place in the ranks. Thus all were able to bring out their own identity by each doing his duty, each being obedient, and thus acknowledging the government of God. And a mighty victory of Truth over error was won.
Moses had been chosen by God to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt by way of the wilderness; and no one else could take his place. When the children of Israel felt they knew as much or more than Moses, and would not obey God's guidance, spoken to them through Moses, they suffered defeat. But whenever they recognized the fact that Moses was filling his place, expressing divine wisdom and intelligence, and were obedient—filling their places by faithfully doing the work assigned to them—they were successful.
