A New World Order/Our Private Lives
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OUR PRIVATE LIVES:
The essence of faith is fewness of words and abundance of deeds; he whose words exceed his deeds, know verily his death is better than his life.
Baha'u'llah, Words of Wisdom, Baha'f{ World Faith, p. 141
O SON OF MY HANDMAID!
Guidance hath ever been given by words, and now it is given by deeds. Every one must show forth deeds that are pure and holy, for words are the property of all alike, whereas such deeds as these belong only to Our loved ones. Strive then with heart and soul to distinquish yourselves by your deeds. In this wise We counsel you in this holy and resplendent tablet.
Baha'u'11ah, The Hidden Words, pp. 48-49
Beware, O people of Baha, lest ye
walk in the ways of them whose words differ
from their deeds. Strive that ye may be enabled to manifest to the peoples of the earth the
signs of God, and to mirror forth His commandments. Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, for the professions of most men, be they high or low, differ from their conduct. It is through your deeds that ye can distinguish yourselves from others. Through them the brightness of your
light can be shed upon the whole earth.
Baha'u'11ah,
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 305
Not by the force of numbers, not by
the mere exposition of a set of new
and noble principles, not by an organ-
ized campaign of teaching—no matter
how worldwide and elaborate in its
character—not even by the staunchness
of our faith or the exaltation of our
enthusiasm, can we ultimately hope to
vindicate in the eyes of a critical
and sceptical age the supreme claim of
the Abha Revelation.
One thing and only one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause, namely, the extent to which our own inner life and private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by Baha'u'114h.
Shoghi Effendi, Baha'f Administration, p. 66
THING
Not until the dynamic love we cherish for Him is sufficiently reflected in its power and purity in all our dealings with our fellow-men, however remotely connected and humble in origin, can we hope to exalt in the eyes of a self-seeking world
the genuineness of the all-conquering love of God. Not until we live ourselves the life of a true Baha’i can we hope to demonstrate the creative and transforming potency of the Faith we profess. Nothing but the abundance of our actions, nothing but the purity of our lives and the integrity of our characters, can in the last resort establish our claim that the Baha'f spirit is in this day the sole agency that can translate
a long-cherished ideal into an enduring achievement.
Shoghi Effendi, Baha’i Administration, p. 68
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OUR PRIVATE LIVES:
What role will your individual and private actions play in the success of your teaching activities?
How can a Baha'f maintain a proper balance between words and deeds? What is a proper balance?
Why is it that only one thing can ever insure the triumph of the Faith? What role do teaching plans play?
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