Poetry With A Mission



...a thought provoking poetical exercise.

How Could I Act Otherwise?

Yes, I will uphold Your Word, Lord, but never with sword in hand,
For only the Holy Spirit can captivate hearts in each land.
Yes, I will uphold Your truth, Lord, but militant I will not be,
As only Your loving spirit should actuate what’s done for Thee.

Yes, I will uphold Your will, Lord, but not Your will on others force,
For only the Spirit’s entreating should see others Your will endorse.
Yes, I will uphold Your ways, Lord, but not expect the same of all,
As only the Spirit’s convicting is able Your ways to install. 

I’ll not court the indulgent left, or court the fanatical right,
Nor will I straddle the fence, Lord, but will tread the path of true light.
Above all, I’ll seek to please You, and I’ll go wherever You lead,
But I’ll not compel another to do what You’ve led me to heed.

I’ll practice my faith as of right, my beliefs I’ll likewise express,
A right that You’ve given to all, regardless of things some profess.
I will say what I think is right, and say what I think is untrue,
But won’t deny any person the right to challenge my view.

No one will I hang my cap on, or any organization,
And I’ll not follow the crowd, Lord, nor bend with each situation.
My trust I’ll put solely in Thee, and stand on Your Holy Word too,
But I will defend each one’s right to choose to differently do.

Freedom You’ve given to all, Lord, and the right to choose our own way;
Who we’ll serve, how we’ll serve, and what we might do, believe or say.
So, how could I act otherwise, and not Your example follow,
As my own Christian witness, Lord, to others would soon ring hollow?

Even though they don’t have the right, there are those who’ll abuse or kill,
But should we ever lose free choice, we would inherit greater ill.
Thus, democracy and freedom must be the order of the day,
Otherwise, inevitably, one’s right to choose will go astray.

By Lance Landall