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Good morning everybody
Today I will begin to recount virtues that we have to aquire as followers of the Cause of God, of Bahaullah.
Decency
All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization...Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion, and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.
Fortitude
The source of courage and power is the promotion of the Word of God, and steadfastness in His love.
For everything there is a sign. The sign of love is fortitude ander My decree and patience under My trials.
Confession
Abase not thyself, neither sigh and weep.
The sinner, when in a state wherein he finds himself free and severed from all else save God, must beg for God's forgiveness and pardon. It is not allowable to declare one's sins and transgressions before any man, inasmuch as this has not been, nor is conducive to securing God's forgiveness and pardon. At the same time such confession before the creatures leads to one's humiliation and abasement, and God does not wish for the humiliation of His servants.
Cleanliness
Wings that are besmirched with mire can never soar.
When man in all conditions is pure and immaculate, he will become the centre of the reflection of the manifest light. In all his actions and conduct these must first be purity, then beauty and independence. The channel must be cleansed before it is filled with water. The pure eye comprehendeth the sight and the meaning of God; the pure nostril inhaleth the perfumes of the rose-garden of bounty; the pure heart becometh the mirror of the beauty of truth. This is why, in the heavenly Books, the divine counsels and commands have been compared to water.
Cleanliness and sanctity, purity and delicacy exalt humanity and make the contingent being progress. Even when applied to physical things, delicacy causeth the attainment of spirituality, as it is established in the Holy Scriptures.
External cleanliness, although it is but a physical thing, hath a great influence upon spirituality.
Health
If the health and well-being of the body be expended in the path of the kingdom, this is very acceptable and praiseworthy; and if it is expended to the benefit of the human world in general, even though it be to their material (or bodily) benefit and be a means of doing good - that is also acceptable. But if the health and welfare of man be spent in sensual desires, in a life on the animal plane, and in devilish pursuits - then desease is better than such health; nay, death itself is preferable to such a life. If thou art desirous of health, wish thou health for serving the kingdom.
Humility
Humility exalteth man to the heaven of glory and power, whilst pride abaseth him to the depth of wretchedness and degradation.
Every man of disernment, while walking upon the earth, feeleth indeed abashed, inasmuch as he is fully aware that the thing which is the source of his prosperity, his wealth, his might, his exaltation, his advancement and power is, as ordained by God, the very earth which is trodden beneath the feet of all men. There can be no doubt that whoever is cognisant of this truth, is cleansed and sanctified from all pride, arrogance, and vain glory.
Integrity
The sword of a virtuous character and upright conduct is sharper than blades of steel.
This people need no weapons of destruction, inasmuch as they have girded themselves to reconstrucy the world. Their hosts are the hosts of goodly deeds, and their arms the arms of upright conduct, and their commander, the fear of God.
Whoso ariseth, in this Day, to aid Our Cause, and summoneth to his assistance the hosts of a praiseworthy character and upright conduct, the influence from such an action will, most certainly, be diffused throughout the whole world.
Liberty (understand this rightly)
Liberty must, in the end lead to sedition, whose flames none can quench....know ye that the embodyment of liberty and its symbol is the animal.That which beseemeth man is submission unto such restraints as will protect him from his own ignorance, and guard him against the harm of the mischiefmaker. Liberty causeth man to overstep the bounds of propriety, and to infringe on the dignity of his station. It debaseth him to the level of extreme depravity and wickedness. ... True liberty consisteth in man's submission unto My commandments, little as ye know it. Were man to observe that which We have sent down unto them from the heaven of Revelation, they would of a certainty attain unto perfect liberty. ...The liberty that profiteth you is to be found nowhere except in complete servitude unto God, the Eternal Truth. Whoso hath tasted of its sweetness will refuse to barter it for all the dominion of earth and heaven.
Material Goods
...Rejoice not in the things ye possess; tonight they are yours, tomorrow others will possess them.
O SON OF MAN! Thou dost wish for gold and I desire your freedom from it. Thou thinkest thyself rich in its possession, and I recognize thy wealth in thy sanctity therefrom. By My life! this is My knowledge, and that is thy fancy; how can My way accord with thine?
By Him Who shineth above the Day-Spring of Sanctity! If the whole earth were to be converted into silver and gold, no man who can be said to have truly ascended into the heaven of faith and certitude would deign to regard it, much less to seize and keep it.
to be continued
Bye for now
Laila
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