Fidál, 03 Asmá’ (Names), 180 B.E.
Reflections on the Life of the Spirit
Quote for Reflection:
O SON OF DUST!
Verily I say unto thee: Of all men the most negligent is he that disputeth idly and seeketh to advance himself over his brother. Say: O brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning. — Bahá’u’lláh 1
Question for Consideration:
What should be our true adorning? 2
Google Bard Response:
In this passage from The Hidden Words, Bahá’u’lláh is teaching us that our true adornment is not found in material possessions or physical beauty, but in our deeds. He says that those who are most negligent are those who argue and quarrel with others, and who seek to advance themselves at the expense of others. He urges us to let our deeds, not our words, be our adorning.
This means that we should strive to live our lives in accordance with the highest moral and ethical principles. We should be kind, compassionate, and helpful to others. We should be honest, truthful, and trustworthy. We should be tolerant and understanding, and we should strive to build bridges of understanding between people of different cultures and backgrounds.
When we live our lives in this way, we are truly adorning ourselves with the most precious jewels: the qualities of love, kindness, compassion, and wisdom. These qualities are what will make us truly beautiful, both inwardly and outwardly.
Here are some specific ways to let our deeds be our adorning:
- Be kind and compassionate to everyone we meet, regardless of their race, religion, or social status.
- Be honest and truthful in all our dealings with others.
- Be trustworthy and reliable.
- Be tolerant and understanding of others’ beliefs and differences.
- Help those in need, both materially and spiritually.
- Strive to make the world a better place through our actions.
When we live our lives in accordance with these principles, we are truly adorning ourselves with the most precious jewels, and we are making a difference in the world.
- Bahá’u’lláh. The Hidden Words. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’í Reference Library. Bahá’í Reference Library, 1954. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/hidden-words/3#646280975.
. ↩ - Ruhi Institute. Reflections on the Life of the Spirit. 4.1.2.PE May 2020. Vol. Book 1. 6 vols. Embarking on a Path of Service. Cali, Columbia: Ruhi Institute, 2020, 3. https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#RLS ↩
Frameworks for Understanding the World 