Living Is Giving

1 Give! said the golden sun:
Up rose the mist,
Safe in the silver clouds
Cradled and kissed.
Give! said the thirsty earth:
Down came the show'r;
Give! said the raindrops bright,
Up sprang the flow'r.

Chorus:
Living is giving, giving is living;
All things would die if only receiving.
Give! this is the rule of love by which we live.

2 Give! said the little stream:
Up gushed the spring,
In shady forest nook,
Where robins sing.
Give! said the river wide:
Brooks hurried down.
Give! said the ocean tide:
Rivers flowed on. [Chorus]

3 Give! said the midnight moon:
Swift came the light
Borrowed from far-off sun,
Cheering the night.
Help! said the "Milky Way:"
Stars heard the call,
Orion, Pleiades,
Dipper and all. [Chorus]

4 Give! cried a sinful world:
Down came the Lord,
He who made everything
Just by his word.
Give! cries the heathen child,
Hungry for love:
Yes! say our pennies bright,
Lent from above. [Chorus]

Source: Christ in Song: for all religious services nearly one thousand best gospel hymns, new and old with responsive scripture readings (Rev. and Enl.) #575