Others

I am not particularly a Joel Osteen fan, but I love this saying from him...

There is a song in the old Cokesbury hymnal entitled "Others."  A few years ago I was filling in at the Ft. Pierce First United Methodist Church.  There was no choir that day, and no special music, so I decided to sing that song.  My friend Dick Lystra was gracious to play it, and I sang it, a solo.

The song seemed to fall flat.  No reply, no enjoyment.  Crickets.  Looking back on that moment, it is a pretty serious song, and I am not the best singer.  The folks at First United Methodist Church [love that name] still loved me.

Here are the words to that old song.

Lord, help me live from day to day
In such a self-forgetful way
That even when I kneel to pray
My prayer shall be for others.

Refrain:
Yes, others, Lord, yes, others,
Let this my motto be;
Help me to live for others,
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like Thee,
That I may live like Thee.

Help me in all the work I do
To ever be sincere and true,
And know that all I’d do for You
Must needs be done for others.

Let “Self” be crucified and slain
And buried deep: and all in vain
May efforts be to rise again,
Except to live for others.

So when my work on earth is done,
And my new work in heav’n’s begun,
I’ll praise You for the crown I’ve won,
But praise You more for others.

Refrain:
Yes, others, Lord, yes, others,
Let this my motto be;
Help me to live for others,
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like Thee,
That I may live like Thee.

The song was written in 1902. The words are still important for us today.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.