Without Merit

 

 

A gift is never dependent

On the recipient of the gift,

It is actually given in spite of

If you catch my drift.

 

It is surely not a reward

Since a reward is achieved

But one cannot achieve a gift

Whatever one believes.

 

It cannot be an award

For such is given on merit

And an award as we all know

Is premised upon habit.

 

Not so a gift, my friend,

It’s definitely not an award

And since it is without merit

It cannot be a reward.

 

 

Without merit it must be,

Just like the grace of God,

It can’t be bought or worked for

Or delivered by a fraud.

 

No worth in the recipient

Other than the whosoever,

Whosoever believes in Christ

Will share in his treasure.

 

By the recipient’s faith

And through God’ grace,

Without merit I must emphasize

Or even the pride of place.

 

It is not the who we are

But rather, the “whose”,

Not even the prudish or the pious

Like a “goody two shoes”.

 

The prerequisite is love

As in “For God so loved”

That He gave the gift of His Son

Who came from above.

 

 

A commendation of love

When we were unlovable

And when we were vile and sinful,

To make us His people.

 

A people for Himself

With whom He now dwells,

No merit in any one of them

Thus, the Bible tells.

 

This we must not forget:

There is no merit in us

But all we tantamount to be

Is found in Christ Jesus.

 

Without merit I repeat,

And none can make a claim

Unless of course the claim we make

Is in Jesus’ name.

 

Without Merit

 

Stewart Russell © January 18, 2025 

 

Impossible

 

 

You cannot do another’s work

However hard you try,

But if perchance you manage to

You are living a lie.

 

For then, you see, I must believe

Your work is oft unfinished,

For if you have time to do another’s

Yours must be quite diminished.

 

Little or nothing to do

Or, perhaps not exercising enough,

If this be the case my mixed-up friend,

That is rather tough.

 

All the work you’ve managed to do

Simply was your own,

If it wasn’t at the beginning

Then your workload had grown.

 

To whom much is given

To the same much is expected,

So the thought it is someone else’s

Must surely be rejected.

 

You will be held accountable

For the work you have to do

And the excuse it was not your work

Will never see you through.

 

If you do another’s work

That person is automatically absolved,

His work is now become your work;

You are the one involved.

 

It switches from him to you

Hence, you are now responsible,

And if anything should go wrong

You’d be the one in trouble.

 

If it is good, you get the praise,

If it is bad; the blame,

And that to my mind is fair enough

However much you complain.

 

 

You cannot do another’s work,

Whatever you do is yours

So, do it well with all your strength

For your reward is sure.

 

The reward is fitted to the work;

The two go hand in hand,

He that works, the reward is his,

That’s according to the plan.

 

You might do ten men’s work

Or five men or even two,

It’s your work you must remember

So keep this within view.

 

You cannot do another’s work

That is not at all possible,

Concentrate on the work you have

And do it while you’re able.

 

Every believer has a work:

A work he or she must do,

No one can do another one's work

And that also means you.

 

Stewart Russell © January 16, 2022