Daily Frameworks for 28 October 2024

Kamál, 14 ‘Ilm (Knowledge), 181 B.E.

Teaching the Cause

Quotes for Reflection:

How great the multitude of truths which the garment of words can never contain! How vast the number of such verities as no expression can adequately describe, whose significance can never be unfolded, and to which not even the remotest allusions can be made! How manifold are the truths which must remain unuttered until the appointed time is come! Even as it hath been said: “Not everything that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor can everything that he can disclose be regarded as timely, nor can every timely utterance be considered as suited to the capacity of those who hear it.” — Bahá’u’lláh ¹

THE teaching work should under all conditions be actively pursued by the believers because divine confirmations are dependent upon it. Should a Bahá’í refrain from being fully, vigorously and wholeheartedly involved in the teaching work he will undoubtedly be deprived of the blessings of the Abhá Kingdom. Even so, this activity should be tempered with wisdom—not that wisdom which requireth one to be silent and forgetful of such an obligation, but rather that which requireth one to display divine tolerance, love, kindness, patience, a goodly character, and holy deeds. In brief, encourage the friends individually to teach the Cause of God and draw their attention to this meaning of wisdom mentioned in the Writings, which is itself the essence of teaching the Faith—but all this to be done with the greatest tolerance, so that heavenly assistance and divine confirmation may aid the friends. — ’Abdu’l-Bahá ²

“Not everything that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor can everything that he can disclose be regarded as timely, nor can every timely utterance be considered as suited to the capacity of those who hear it.” Such is the consummate wisdom to be observed in thy pursuits. Be not oblivious thereof, if thou wishest to be a man of action under all conditions. First diagnose the disease and identify the malady, then prescribe the remedy, for such is the perfect method of the skilful physician. — ’Abdu’l-Bahá ³

Also relevant to what is said, and how, is when it is said. For speech, as for so many other things, there is a season. Bahá’u’lláh reinforces this understanding by drawing attention to the maxim that “Not everything that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor can everything that he can disclose be regarded as timely, nor can every timely utterance be considered as suited to the capacity of those who hear it.”
Speech is a powerful phenomenon. Its freedom is both to be extolled and feared. It calls for an acute exercise of judgment, since both the limitation of speech and the excess of it can lead to dire consequences. Thus there exist in the system of Bahá’u’lláh checks and balances necessary to the beneficial uses of this freedom in the onward development of society. A careful examination of the principles of Bahá’í consultation and the formal and informal arrangements for employing them offer new insights into the dynamics of freedom of expression. — Universal House of Justice ⁴

Question for Consideration

If effective teaching about the Bahá’í Faith requires courage and wisdom, how does one maintain a balance between them? ⁵

Gemini Response:

To maintain a balance between courage and wisdom in teaching the Bahá’í Faith, one must carefully consider the following:

Divine Guidance

• Seek Divine Assistance: Regularly pray and meditate to connect with the Divine and seek guidance.
• Listen to the Holy Spirit: Pay attention to inner promptings and insights.
  

Know Your Audience

• Assess the Receptivity: Understand your audience’s background, beliefs, and interests.
• Tailor Your Message: Adjust your approach and language to suit the needs of your audience.
  

Practice Patience and Tolerance

• Avoid Imposing Beliefs: Respect the beliefs and opinions of others, even if they differ from yours.
• Engage in Constructive Dialogue: Encourage open and honest conversations, listening attentively to others’ perspectives.
  

Cultivate Wisdom

• Study the Writings: Deepen your understanding of the Bahá’í teachings through regular study.
• Seek Knowledge: Continuously expand your knowledge and understanding of the world.
• Learn from Experience: Reflect on past experiences to gain wisdom and improve future interactions.
  

Balance Courage and Caution

• Be Bold: Don’t be afraid to share your beliefs and convictions.
• Be Prudent: Avoid unnecessary confrontation and controversy.
• Know When to Retreat: Sometimes, it may be necessary to withdraw from a difficult conversation or situation.
  

One can effectively teach the Bahá’í Faith by balancing courage and wisdom while avoiding unnecessary conflict and misunderstanding. Remember, the goal is to inspire and uplift, not to force one’s beliefs on others.

ChatGPT Response:

Balancing courage and wisdom in teaching the Bahá’í Faith is essential to ensure the message is conveyed with sincerity, love, and respect for the listener’s capacity and readiness. This balance allows the teacher to speak truthfully while honoring the diversity of understanding, timing, and circumstances that influence the listener’s receptivity. Here are several aspects of achieving this balance, based on the writings:

Recognizing the Capacity of the Listener

Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá emphasize discerning what a person can understand and absorb. Courage enables one to share the Faith sincerely and confidently, while wisdom guides the teacher to assess what the listener is ready to hear. By focusing on the spiritual needs and capacities of the listener, the teacher can select aspects of the Faith that will best touch their heart and meet their current understanding.

Timing and Relevance of the Message

Teaching requires an awareness of when to speak and what is appropriate to share at any given time. While courage prompts one to respond to teaching opportunities without hesitation, wisdom ensures that the content shared is both relevant and suitable. This aligns with the principle that “not everything that a man knoweth can be disclosed,” as timing is vital in how effectively a message is received and understood.

Patience and Tolerance in Approach

The guidance from Abdu’l-Bahá to teach with “tolerance, love, kindness, patience, a goodly character, and holy deeds” is a call to temper courage with gentleness. Wisdom helps the teacher maintain patience, allowing others to ask questions, express doubts, or consider new ideas. The teacher nurtures trust and openness by showing a patient, tolerant, and loving attitude, helping others feel safe to explore the teachings.

Skill in Adapting the Message

Teaching with wisdom involves diagnosing the listener’s spiritual “malady” or needs, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá describes, and responding accordingly. Courage is essential to address complex questions or doubts confidently, but wisdom guides how to adapt the message for greater clarity, respect, and relevance. This approach is akin to a skilled physician who adjusts the treatment to suit the patient’s specific condition.

Cultivating a Spirit of Service and Detachment

The courage to teach arises from love and a desire to serve humanity, while wisdom helps maintain detachment from personal motives or the need for approval. By centering on serving the listener and not on the outcome, the teacher avoids pressuring others to accept the Faith prematurely and instead nurtures an environment of genuine exploration and understanding.

Consultation and Collective Wisdom

The Bahá’í principles of consultation offer tools for discerning how best to teach. Consultation encourages teachers to seek advice from others, reflect on past experiences, and adjust their approach based on collective insights. This helps balance personal enthusiasm with the community’s accumulated wisdom and enhances the effectiveness of teaching efforts by incorporating diverse perspectives.

By combining courage with wisdom, Bahá’í teachers can share the message of Bahá’u’lláh with confidence and respect, meeting people where they are, and opening the path to spiritual growth in a way that aligns with the listener’s capacity and readiness. This balance ensures that the teaching effort is grounded in sincerity, loving-kindness, and spiritual insight, leading to meaningful and lasting connections.

Claude Response:

Based on these deep passages, balancing courage and wisdom in teaching seems to require several insightful understandings and approaches:

Recognition of timing and capacity

• Not everything known should be disclosed
• Not every disclosure is timely
• Not every timely utterance suits the hearers’ capacity
• Like a physician, first diagnose, then prescribe
  

Active yet measured engagement

• Teaching must be “actively pursued” as divine confirmations depend on it
• But done with “the greatest tolerance”
• Being “fully, vigorously and wholeheartedly involved”
• While displaying “divine tolerance, love, kindness, patience.”
  

Understanding the power of speech

• Speech is “a powerful phenomenon”
• Its freedom is both “to be extolled and feared.”
• Requires “an acute exercise of judgment”
• Both limitation and excess can have “dire consequences.”
  

Applying wisdom in practice

• Through “checks and balances”
• Via principles of Bahá’í consultation
• Through formal and informal arrangements
• While maintaining “beneficial uses of this freedom.”
  

Balancing multiple qualities

• Courage without being overwhelming
• Wisdom without becoming silent
• Tolerance while remaining active
• Patience while maintaining vigor
  

Understanding limitations

• Recognizing that some truths must “remain unuttered.”
• Acknowledging the “appointed time” for certain teachings
• Accepting that words cannot contain all truths
• Being aware of the limits of expression
  

The balance seems to come through:

Proper diagnosis

• Understanding the spiritual condition of those we’re teaching
• Recognizing their capacity and readiness
• Identifying the appropriate approach
• Determining what is timely
  

Appropriate action

• Speaking with courage when the time is right
• Remaining silent when wisdom dictates
• Adjusting the message to the hearer
• Maintaining continuous but measured effort
  

Right motives

• Teaching from love rather than compulsion
• Acting from divine guidance rather than personal impulse
• Seeking confirmation rather than results
• Focusing on service rather than success
  

Spiritual awareness

• Staying connected to divine guidance
• Remaining conscious of the power of words
• Being mindful of timing and receptivity
• Maintaining awareness of one’s responsibilities
  

The passages suggest that this balance isn’t achieved through rigid rules but through developing spiritual sensitivity and judgment. It requires becoming attuned to divine confirmations and human capacities while maintaining an active teaching effort moderated by wisdom rather than fear or inaction.

This balance appears to be dynamic rather than static – requiring constant adjustment based on circumstances, individuals, and divine guidance. The goal seems to be maintaining forward movement in teaching while being mindful of the profound responsibility accompanying sharing spiritual truths.

Pi Response:

To effectively teach the Bahá’í Faith, maintaining a balance between courage and wisdom is crucial. The guidance from Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and the Universal House of Justice offers insights on how to achieve this balance:

Understanding the appropriate timing and context

Bahá’u’lláh emphasizes that not all knowledge should be disclosed at once; instead, one must consider the appropriateness of the timing and the capacity of the listener. Wisdom lies in discerning when and how to share the teachings, while courage enables one to seize the right moment.

Combining active teaching with divine qualities

Abdu’l-Bahá advises that teaching should be pursued actively but with divine qualities such as tolerance, love, kindness, patience, and good character. Courage helps individuals engage in teaching, while wisdom ensures that these qualities are manifested throughout the process.

Diagnosing the needs of the audience

Abdu’l-Bahá compares effective teaching to the work of a skilled physician who first diagnoses the disease before prescribing a remedy. This analogy highlights the wisdom required to understand the audience’s needs, while courage enables individuals to address those needs directly.

Using judgment and discernment

The Universal House of Justice discusses the importance of exercising judgment in the freedom of speech. This principle also applies to teaching, as wisdom helps individuals discern the most effective and appropriate ways to share the Faith without excess or limitation.

In summary, balancing courage and wisdom in teaching the Bahá’í Faith involves understanding the appropriate timing and context, combining active teaching with divine qualities, diagnosing the audience’s needs, and using judgment and discernment. By striking the right balance between these qualities, individuals can teach the Faith effectively and contribute to society’s transformation.

1. Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’í Reference Library, 1935. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/gleanings-writings-bahaullah/5#306626215. ↩
2. ’Abdu’l-Bahá. Selections from the Writings of ʻAbduʼl-Bahá. Translated by Marzieh Gail. Reprint. Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1996, 268. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/selections-writings-abdul-baha/9#401321211. ↩
3. ’Abdu’l-Bahá. Selections from the Writings of ʻAbduʼl-Bahá. Translated by Marzieh Gail. Reprint. Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1996, 268-269. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/selections-writings-abdul-baha/9#270257345. ↩
4. Universal House of Justice. “29 December 1988 – To the Followers of Bahá’u’lláh in the United States of America.” Bahá’í Reference Library. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/19881229_001/1#902153759. ↩
5. Ruhi Institute. Teaching the Cause. 2.1.1.PE April 2023. Vol. Book 6. 6 vols. Embarking on a Path of Service. Cali, Columbia: Ruhi Foundation, 2023, 41-43. https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#TCH.