‘The Motto’

You may bring to your office and put in a frame,
A motto as fine as its print;
But if you’re dishonest while playing the game,
That motto won’t make you a saint.
Put up lots of placards and cover your wall,
But here is a word I announce:
It isn’t the motto that hangs on your wall;
It’s the motto you live that counts.
If the motto says, “Smile” and you carry a frown,
“Do it Now” and you linger and wait;
If the motto says, “Help” and you trample men down,
If the motto says “Love” and you hate,
You’ll stand before God and be judged for your deeds,
You’ll know as the evidence mounts,
It wasn’t the motto you hung on the wall,
But the motto you lived that counts! (Anon)