Knowing So Many Ways to Trip and Fall

Knowing so many ways to trip and fall
Shall we moderate all our efforts?
No, The Lord sustains whom He does call
And we’ve been blessed but with gifts He affords

Thus, He who is our ultimate strength
Would that we not be “lukewarm”
But, serve Him with what we have at length
And with humility to sense what does us harm…

The proud could only hear the clamor
Of the crowd goading for more
And the still small voice in the background
Was obscured by all who did surround

Thus their haughty and stiff necks
Did not turn around to see
Satan using them to stretch
His powers there to glee

In contrast one man so humble
Heard and quickly fell to His knees
Proving to be teachable
He asked that the hand of God would lead

And from His example
Some in shame saw their plight
And joined in with prayers ample
To petition for safety and light

Then without a glance backwards
They drew nigh to that voice
And were given armor and sword
So to thwart Satan's quest to exploit

Dallin H. Oaks
Our strengths Can Become Our Downfall-
Preventing Strengths from Becoming our Downfall
Ensign, October 1994, 11