Daily Frameworks for 23 September 2023

Jalál, 16 ʻ’Izzat (Might), 180 B.E.

Reflections on the Life of the Spirit

Quote for Reflection:

This is the day when pure hearts have a portion of the everlasting bounties and sanctified souls are being illumined by the eternal manifestations. Praise be to God! You are believers in God, assured by the words of God and turning to the Kingdom of God. You have heard the divine call. Your hearts are moved by the breezes of the paradise of Abhá. You have good intentions; your purpose is the good pleasure of God; you desire to serve in the Kingdom of the Merciful One. Therefore, arise in the utmost power. Be in perfect unity. Never become angry with one another. Let your eyes be directed toward the kingdom of truth and not toward the world of creation. Love the creatures for the sake of God and not for themselves. You will never become angry or impatient if you love them for the sake of God. Humanity is not perfect. There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if you look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness. The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls. He created them, trains and provides for them, endows them with capacity and life, sight and hearing; therefore, they are the signs of His grandeur. You must love and be kind to everybody, care for the poor, protect the weak, heal the sick, teach and educate the ignorant. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ¹

Question for Consideration:

What happens to the progress of the soul of a person who focuses on other people’s faults? ²

Google Bard Response:

According to the passage you quoted from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the progress of the soul of a person who focuses on other people’s faults is hindered. He says that “humanity is not perfect” and that “there are imperfections in every human being.” If we focus on the faults of others, we will always be unhappy.

He also says that “the imperfect eye beholds imperfections” and that “the eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls.” When we focus on the faults of others, we are not seeing them as God sees them. We are not seeing their divine potential.

Instead, we are seeing them through the lens of our own imperfections. This lens is clouded by our own judgments and prejudices. It prevents us from seeing the good in others.

When we focus on the faults of others, we also become more critical and less compassionate. We may even start to see ourselves as superior to others. This attitude is harmful to our spiritual growth.

It is important to remember that we are all on a journey of spiritual growth. We are all learning and growing, and we are all making mistakes. When we judge others, we forget that they are on the same journey as us. We also forget that we are all connected. When we hurt others, we hurt ourselves.

If we want to progress on our spiritual journey, we need to focus on our own shortcomings rather than the shortcomings of others. We need to be understanding and forgiving of others, just as we would want them to be understanding and forgiving of us. We also need to remember that everyone has divine potential.

Here are some tips for avoiding focusing on the faults of others:

• Be mindful of your thoughts and judgments. When you notice yourself judging someone, ask yourself why you are doing it. Is it because you are insecure? Is it because you are projecting your own shortcomings onto them?
• Try to see things from their perspective. Why might they be behaving the way they are? What might they be going through?
• Focus on their strengths as well as their weaknesses. Everyone has good qualities and bad qualities. It is important to see the whole person, not just their flaws.
• Remember that you don’t know everything about them. You may not know the full story behind their behavior. It is important to be humble and to avoid judging others too quickly.
• Focus on the present moment. Don’t dwell on the past or worry about the future. Instead, focus on building a positive relationship with the person in the present moment.
  

When we focus on the good in others, we help them to become the best versions of themselves. We also create a more positive and loving world.

1. ’Abdu’l-Bahá. The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ʻAbduʼl-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912. Edited by Howard MacNutt. 2nd ed. Wilmette, Ill: Baháʼí Publishing Trust, 1982, 92-93. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/4#424700415. ↩
2. 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, 10. https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#RLS ↩