Although at mid point of this first month of another Gregorian New Year, it still may be time–and most certainly wise–to reassess and rearrange a few of our individual priorities of the past that may have significant positive impact upon our future–as well as of the future of others about us. In the confused, fluctuating state of today’s local and especially world status, such spiritually blurred vision, as with the natural eye, can cause distortion, dizziness and other complications that will continue to worsen until some major derailment occurs.
In order to rearrange one’s priorities before such derailment however, one must honestly assess and come to grips with motivation, the hard-drive controlling and heavily influencing the situation. Once this fact is determined more deliberate and effective means of prioritizing can be applied through knowledge, volition and action, the big3 without any one of which the process will be ineffective and the cycle of results remain the same.
Mere knowledge of the advantages of healthy, wholesome physical and spiritual diets and exercise would be to no avail without subsequent voluntary action. We’ve all heard it said that the only thing dumber than doing the same thing and expecting different results is doing the same things and expect better results. We may also find that the biggest problems derive from the smallest word–ego (self).
In the Baha’i Holy Writings we interestingly find that the word self has two distinctive meanings–1) the light or true identity of God’s creation (man)“In His Own Image” within each of us. 2) The other darker, animalistic heritage also within us, man’s lower nature, that can develop into a monster of selfishness, brutality, lust, envy and greed as evidenced in the multitude of fictional themes (dubbed as “positively entertaining,” thus glorifying crime while giving sick egotists dumb ideas as reported in actual occurrences in daily newscasts. It is this lower self that we must diligently and persistently struggle against once obtaining knowledge of the two. It has even been suggested that the true Armageddon may simply be this perpetual war between these two identities within each of us!
“Human society at present exerts a pernicious influence upon the soul of man,” we are reminded in the Baha’i Writings. “Instead of encouraging him to live a life of servitude and sacrifice it teaches him to pride himself on his accomplishments and personal possessions (all obtained through the grace, mercy and aid of God. Too often does this possessiveness spill over, with marriage vows in particular sworn to “belong with rather than TO one another. In Baha’i marriages, however, vows are made not to one another but to God.
From early childhood in this “land of the free and home of the brave,” man is trained to develop his ego and to seek to exalt himself above others. “His ultimate aim is to achieve self-importance and perceived success and power, the Holy Writings continue. The soul of man, however, needs instead to be adorned with virtues of humility and self-effacement so that it may become detached from the things of this transitory material world and from “the ‘Kingdom of names’ to which mankind has become enslaved.” Herein lies the pivotal core of misplaced priorities!
The divinely ordained and orchestrated Revelation of Baha’u’llah (the Baha’i Faith) provides ongoing blueprints, today’s spiritual GPS (Global Positioning System) to reverse these destructive trends by removing “the pith of self” that we might become instruments through which the pure Love of God may flow through to others.”
And to whatever extent this fete may be accomplished, “Let no earthly affections, no worldly entanglements, no ephemeral pursuits tarnish the purity or embitter the sweetness of the Love of God that flows through. (Investigate! – 1-800-22-UNITE)
