WOULD THEY KNOW? Written by Brian Ketchum [Verse 1] If I never wore a cross Never carried in a Bible Never raised my hands on Sunday Never quoted one revival If nobody heard me pray Or knew the songs I know If I never said His name out loud Would anybody know? Would the waitress see Him in me When the order comes out wrong? Would my family see His patience When the day has gone too long? When nobody’s watching closely And there’s nothing left to show If I never told them I knew Jesus Would they know? [Pre-Chorus] ’Cause anybody can say it Anybody can wear the name But a tree is known by what it bears Not the sign beside the gate [Chorus] Would they know me by my mercy? Would they know me by my grace? Would they see a little Jesus In the way I treat a face That can do nothing for me That the world would pass below? If you took the Bible from my hand And the church clothes off my back Would there still be enough of Jesus For a stranger to see that? I can tell the world I follow Him But if my life don’t make it so If I never said I was a Christian Would they know? [Verse 2] Do I forgive the one who hurt me Or just preach forgiveness well? Do I love the ones who hate me Or just wish that they would fail? Do I bless the ones who curse me When there’s no applause to gain? Can I worship in the sanctuary Then crucify with what I say? Do my children see Him in me When the front door closes tight? Does my wife see something holy When we’ve had another fight? It’s easy to look righteous Under stained-glass colored glow But when church is over Monday morning Would they know? [Pre-Chorus] ‘Cause demons know His name And religion knows the lines But knowing things about Him Isn’t knowing Him inside [Chorus] Would they know me by my mercy? Would they know me by my grace? Would they see a little Jesus In the way I treat a face That can do nothing for me That the world would pass below? If you took the Bible from my hand And the church clothes off my back Would there still be enough of Jesus For a stranger to see that? I can tell the world I follow Him But if my life don’t make it so If I never said I was a Christian Would they know? [Bridge — pull everything back] Lord, don’t let me learn the language And somehow miss Your heart Don’t let me sing about the light While I’m living in the dark Don’t let me know the Scriptures But never let them change me I’d rather lose the reputation Than wear Your name in vain [Build] Make my hands look like Your hands Make my words sound like Your love Break whatever doesn’t look like You Until You’re all that’s left of us [Final Chorus] Let them know me by my mercy Let them know me by my grace Let them see the living Jesus In the way I treat a face That can do nothing for me That the world would never know Take the Bible from my hand Take the church clothes off my back God, let there still be enough of Jesus That nobody has to ask I don’t want to only say I follow I want my whole life to show So if I never say I’m a Christian… Jesus… Let them know. [Outro — nearly whispered] By their fruit… They’ll know.
