long-term perspective. The individual actors all have some idea that their lives are part of a bigger story and now, Hebrews is reminding us, it is our turn. Like all the great parade of heroes of faith, we have to be prepared to relinquish centre stage, and to see our lives as an episode in the great unfolding plot. That does not make us insignificant, any more than Abraham and Moses are insignificant, but it does change the perspective. This is not an individual sprint we are taking part in, but