"...faith compriseth both knowledge and the performance of good works."
Rather Easy Quiz:
Which would you rather be?
A.) Politically Correct
B.) Socially Correct
C.) Spiritually Correct
Thing is, much of Social Correctness and even a bit of Political Correctness come from Spiritual Correctness.
Doing good is a fine thing...
Doing it as more than what's normally demanded is much finer...
"Pleasing and acceptable as is a righteous person before God’s Holy Threshold, yet good works should proceed from knowledge. However matchless and exquisite may be a blind man’s handiwork, yet he himself is deprived of seeing it. How sorely do certain animals labour on man’s behalf, what loads they bear for him, how greatly they contribute to his ease and comfort; and yet, because they are unwitting, they earn no recompense for all their pains. The clouds rain down their bounty, nurturing the plants and flowers, and imparting verdure and enchantment to the plain and prairie, the forest and the garden; but yet, unconscious as they are of the results and fruit of their outpourings, they win no praise or honour, nor earn the gratitude and approbation of any man.
"The lamp imparteth light, but as it hath no consciousness of doing so, no one is indebted to it. This apart, a man of righteous deeds and goodly conduct will assuredly turn towards the Light, in whichever quarter he behold it.
"The point is this, that faith compriseth both knowledge and the performance of good works."
‘Abdu’l-Bahá quoted in a Memorandum from the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice to the Universal House of Justice, 28 March 1996, "Authenticity of Bahá’í World Faith and Foundations of World Unity." The quote is a revised translation of a selection of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá which appeared in Bahá’í World Faith, pp. 382-383.
3 comments:
""The lamp imparteth light, but as it hath no consciousness of doing so, no one is indebted to it."
One thing I have already gleaned from this statement is that debt, or in other words, appreciation, should be offered to a giver in direct response to a kindness directed towards/ given us specifically because the giver is conscious of the giving. That doesn't mean the giver is boastful in the giving but just conscious of it. What do you think?
~ Sandy
I think you're spot on !
~ Alex
You put together a fascinating blog. I've wandered its pages comprehending bits and pieces. If I'm honest, I'm probably closer to wanting social correctness. I don't know much about spirituality. For the most part, I prefer kindness and not causing pain. We've enough of that in the world.
Peace,
L&T
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