Your Charity and Empathy - One Day Your Senses Will Bear Witness

90. No joy in any of your senses

And if you cannot stand

What people speak?

Perhaps one day,

You will lose your ears…

And if you cannot stand

Seeing what people do?

Perhaps one day,

You will lost your eyes…

And if you stand aside

And ignore someone in need?

Perhaps one day,

You will lost your limbs,

And if you do all of the above,

Feeling proud and merciless,

Perhaps one day,

You may find yourself

Heartless…

And though you still keep

Your ears, eyes and limbs,

Perhaps that day
You will find no more joy

In any of your senses…

The conscience never tires of counselling us towards charitable actions and words. Even in the heart of the Scrooge there is a glimmer of hope. But if we make it a habit to ignore the voice of our conscience and listen to our ego, then a time may come when we are unable to distinguish where we end and our ego begins. We have become our ego, and it is a creature not inclined to follow the admonition of our hearts which is selfless, since by its very nature our ego is constantly wilful. 

I am recently informed that every day 15,000 people die of starvation. Now that is a lot of mouths to feed. But in the age of mass and intensive production of food, this is an abject shame for all of us. But my ego is constantly saying, "Aah... you have enough problems earning money for the business. You are not Santa Clause... you are not a miracle worker. If all the wise and good people in the world cannot overcome this problem, what makes you think you can?" 

Thank you, sunshine for being better than me. I am sure, big or small, you will always try to help a friend (and even an enemy) in need. Perhaps you are living amidst great deprivation and poverty, and every day you spare some change for the beggar living down the street. Or perhaps you are one of those NGOs trying to pry some money from a government more interested in bombs and big projects. Alternatively, you could be one of those selfless anonymous souls, working in a large business enterprise and trying to publicise the need of orphans and the neglected elderly.

People such as you do not have to worry about not finding joy in your senses, for your senses themselves are joyful in the good work that you do. And on that fated day when you are asked to account for your life by God Himself, your senses will reply on your behalf...

Your Senses Bear Witness

O' Lord of the Senses,

This servant of yours used...

Our sight, to seek the needy,

Our hearing, to listen with empathy

And our limbs to give alms and charity

To Your other servants who

Are forever in need of Your Mercy.

When this servant did all

These beautiful deeds -

To feed the poor,

To guide the blind,

To be a teacher unto orphans,

A voice for the powerless,

And a crutch for the lame,

We bear witness, O' Lord,

That he used us, his senses,

In Your Blessed Name.

Have a charitable day, sunshine.

Pax Taufiqa.