In the continuous revolution of time and technology this earth and its inhabitants continue to face ever-increasing challenges–presented by man and nature. Such frequent uncertainty can cause psychological and even spiritual blurred vision as with the natural eye when things become increasingly out of focus. Under such circumstances, if not checked, things will in all probability continue to worsen until some major derailment occurs. To rearrange priorities before the inevitable occurs would be the wiser thing to do, reducing, if not preventing the physical and psychological damage.
In order to rearrange priorities the first step would be to honestly assess motivation. Once established, it’s time to take deliberate, consistent voluntary action, applying the big 3 application–knowledge, volition and action! Any one of the three without the other two is incomplete and ineffective.
Knowledge of the fact that we must avoid negligence and habit-forming priorities that are detrimental to our physical, mental and spiritual health (or to that of others) is insufficient in itself. Neither will mere knowledge of the fact that a consistent diet of healthy physical and spiritual food and exercise, keep us healthy. One must consistently act upon such knowledge for it to be effective. In assessing motivation of our misspent priorities we may find that the biggest problem derives from the smallest word in the English language, EGO (self).
In the Baha’i Holy Writings we find that the word self has two meanings:1}“the true identity of God’s creation in “His Own Image” within us. The other, the darker animalistic heritage within each of us–“the lower nature that can develop into a monster of selfishness, brutality, lust and greed.” It is this lower self that we must diligently and persistently struggle against once obtaining knowledge of the two.” In fact, the true Armageddon may actually be this perpetual war between these two identities within each of us.
An effective armor against our darker animalistic nature is detachment (not deprivation) from the things of this material world. One is privileged to own whatever material things we can remain emotionally detached from–which for most is not that much. But the nearer we draw to our Creator (by Whatever Name) the more we become detached from man’s creations.
“Human society at present exerts a pernicious influence upon the soul of man,” we are reminded in the Baha’i Holy Writings. “Instead of allowing him to live a life of service and sacrifice, it teaches him to pride himself on his accomplishments and accumulations. From early childhood he is trained to develop his ego and to seek to exalt himself above others. His ultimate aim is then to achieve self-importance, success and power.”
The aim of the Revelation of Baha’u’llah, on the other hand, is to reverse this process! “The soul of man needs to be adorned with virtues of humility and self-effacement so that it may become detached from the “Kingdom of Names,” to which mankind has become enslaved!”
We have but to look about us, from international to local governmental perspectives, to realize the dire necessity of an initial personal “rearrangement of priorities”–for starters. “…and it shall follow, as the night the day; Thou cannot then be false to any man.” (Investigate! – 1-800-22UNITE)
