A Life in Question - 1. A Life in Question

Is it a voice I hear calling to me?
Why is It telling me that I am my brother’s keeper?
Is this merely my conscience speaking?
Or is it the voice of God that I hear?

Although I do not live a lavish lifestyle
Nor do I possess the wealth I’d dreamed of attaining
The quality of my life has been more than adequate
And I do not want for any basic needs.

However, I am aware there are many in the world
Who are not so lucky and much worse off than I,
Because they lack suitable food and water,
As well as a safe place to call home.

Although I wish my life had been better
And I had everything my heart desired,
I am grateful for the things that I have
And I’m willing to share my good fortune.

Even though my life did not turn out exactly as I’d planned
It’s still better than many others in the world,
I’ll admit that I tend to ignore this fact at times
Otherwise I might feel guilty about being dissatisfied.

I have done what I can to help others in need
So my conscience is clear, although I might have done more
The voice now whispers hope and offers me solace
I’ve done what I could to end some of the suffering.

Have we all heard this voice, yet heeded it not?
Are we all too absorbed in the pursuit of useless objects?
Are we willing to ignore others struggling to merely stay alive?
Are those objects more valuable than a human life?

The Pharaohs believed our hearts would be weighed on a scale
If that’s true, will our good deeds offset our insatiable greed?
If there is a God, will (s)he be pleased with what we’ve done?
Or will we have failed to live up to the humanity we were given?