I would be true, for there are those who trust me;
I would be pure, for there are those who care;
I would be strong, for there is much to suffer;
I would be brave, for there is much to dare,
I would be brave, for there is much to dare.
I would be friend of all the foe, the friendless;
I would be giving, and forget the gift;
I would be humble, for I know my weakness;
I would look up, and laugh and love, and lift,
I would look up, and laugh, and love, and lift.
I would be prayerful thru each busy moment;
I would be constantly in touch with God;
I would be tuned to hear the slightest whisper;
I would have faith to keep the path Christ trod,
I would have faith to keep the path Christ trod.
H. A. Walter, 1906
Read 2 Timothy 2:15-26
(We don’t work to earn our salvation, or to keep it, but we cannot escape the Biblical fact that a redeemed life is a life set apart, a life marked by ever-growing holiness and Christlikeness. I Would Be True gives voice to that desire to live a God-honoring life, to be committed, to be an example, to be devout. May we rise to that challenge each day.)
Here’s another hymn you may enjoy– Prayer Is the Soul’s Sincere Desire