It Won't Be By

It won’t be by our well-said prayers

And cleverly crafted speech

How well we recite scripture

Or the message that we preach

It won’t be by the cross we wear

Displayed for all to see

It won’t be by the songs we know,

Sung in or out of key

It won’t be by a slogan

By name or reputation

It won’t be by our bank account

Or size of our donation

It won’t be by our bumper stickers

By which we will be known

The logo on a t-shirt

Or ring tone on a phone

It won’t be by our steeples

Or who’s voted into power

The status on our Facebook

That we update every hour

It won’t be by a megaphone

From the corner of a street

Or how cleverly we say it,

How blatant or discreet

It won’t be by our potlucks

With green bean casserole

No matter how fulfilling

That will never fill the soul

It won’t be by appearance

How well we might be dressed

Nor by the tattooed scriptures

Inscribed upon one’s chest

It won’t be by what we tithe

Though, giving, it is good

Yet, it won’t be by our goodness

Let this be understood

It won’t be by what we’re against

Or even what we’re for

The list of dos and don’ts we keep

It’s known by so much more

So, how will they know, you ask?

What must I be mindful of?

They will know that we are Christians

Yes, they’ll know us by our love.