“O ye rich ones on earth! The poor in your midst are My trust; guard ye My trust and be not intent only on your own ease.”
From this passage taken from the Baha’i Holy Writings can be found several hidden meanings. We instantly equate poverty with economic status but poverty can be of many kinds. In the Holy Bible we read: Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
The uneducated are academically poor and the psychologically and morally depraved are spiritually impoverished. How utterly poor also are the increasing numbers of twisted minds and souls among us expressed through curious fads and behavior passed off simply as “freedom of speech.”
In addressing the repeated horrors of school and other massacres, the primary focus is generally upon the individual perpetrator’s personal characteristics. But they are not self-made! They are creations of environment (especially home or lack of.) Some demented mindsets may begin early in life while in the trust of those who did not “guard well that trust.” Others may make the erroneous assumption that to simply isolate or insolate themselves from other than their own racial, religious or socio-economic kind would of itself assure their security. Society today, however, in its continuous newfound freedoms, offers the world anything conceivable or perceivable through the internet and other progressive media. Having children capable of accessing this info at earliest ages is viewed with pride by parents and peers, but who’s guarding the trust? “Guard ye well My trust.”
“O ye rich ones on earth–in material wealth; the poor in your midst are My trust: O ye rich ones in the arts and sciences; in academics, in technology, administrative and other powerful positions–the poorer ones in your midst are My trust! Weak ones are entrusted to those with strength and the sick and ailing, the infant, the elderly, the frail and homeless are all entrusted to the care of those even slightly more fortunate. How much more those who are rich in various resources?
The key to guarding well the many trusts that we find in our keeping is first recognizing them as such! We must then be more Pro-active than Re-active in the care and constant vigil given to each. Making peace with our constantly fluctuating limitations, whether physical, mental or psychological is also a key factor which should help to rearrange priorities accordingly.
The highest of priorities should be the investment of time in the training of infants–in spirituality, love and morals as it has been proven that the most impressionable years of life are between infancy and 5 years old. It is during this critical stage that the psychological dye is cast which will determine the individual’s attitudes and actions throughout life! This proper installation of inner controls reduces the effect of outer influences which become more fashionably out of control with time. To betray this trust is comparable to manufacturing motor vehicles faster, shinier and more sophisticated and fuel-efficient–but with no brakes or steering, dependent totally upon whatever they hit for steering and/or stopping.
“Guidance hath ever been given by words,” The Hidden Words continue, and now it must be given by deeds…”
