Poems (Barker)/Honor the Work that you do

by Alice J. Green Barker

Honor the Work that You Do.

'Tis not the profession you choose in the world,
 That makes you both famous and grand:
'Tis the way you go at it, the way you succeed,
 That is heralded far o'er the land.

'Tis not by confirming to this church or that,
 Which makes you a christian at heart;
'Tis the life that you lead, and the way you succeed,
 From temptation and sin to depart.

The weakest of all of God's creatures below,
 Can honor the work that they do:
The soul that is given will show you the way,
 If you strive to be honest and true.

No matter how high on the ladder of fame
 Or glory, your brother may be;
He lifts himself higher by lifting you up,
 He sinks, if he turns from your plea.

It matters not even how far you may be,
 From your standard of honor and right;
You surely will reach it, by striving to walk
 In the path that the Saviour made bright.

By striving to honor the work that you do,
 And lifting still higher your soul;
By never degrading that God given power,
 Of reaching some bright far-off goal.

There's work here for all, though we faint by the way,
 The great harvest field must be tilled;
While one hand is idle, some part of the work
 Of the Master, remains unfulfilled.

Is it yours that lies barren, untouched by the plough,
 That the Lord of the harvest must see?
While others around you are covered with grain,
 Waving now like a bright golden sea.

O, weak, idling ones, in the harvest of life,
 Wait not, there is work to be done;
There's glory, and greatness, and honor to gain,
 And laurels so bright to be won.