Do You Do Harm?

The 10 Commandments say
"Thou shalt not kill".
The Hippocratic oath says "First do no harm".
But people are maimed and dying still.

Whether in accidents, bombings,
Road rage, domestic violence,
Murders for all reasons, and harmful
Words that should have been silence.

Children are harmed by their parents
At home, or bullied
By others at school for "fun"--or because they
Have been taught those who are different should be sullied.

The saying "words don't hurt"
Doesn't ring true.
The number of teen suicides
Should prove that to you.

And all animals are God's creation.
But they're also abused and abandoned
Like they were nothing but trash--
Pictures of abused and starving pets are candid.

We need to show respect
For all lives, animal or human.
As it is now, all life forms on our planet
Are now extinct or almost ruined.

We need to think before we act,
And definitely before we speak.
Actions and words leave marks and
Impressions with the havoc they wreak.

No one is perfect--we all make mistakes.
But to cause harm or death to another
Because you're mad or they are "different"
Than you, is not an excuse accepted by our Heavenly Father.