Words of Wisdom, Part 2

I really want to move on to the next paragraph, but I think I need to reflect on where we’ve come from first. To do this, you should probably get a copy of Words of Wisdom in front of you, since I'm not copying the full text here. And in case you didn't notice it, you can just click on the link in the previous sentence.

So, to recap, Baha'u'llah began with re-framing our definition of what is good. From there He explained what wisdom is. He then gave us the basic elements of what makes up religion, and showed us where glory comes from. He then looked at love, and what it means to truly remember something. From there He switched levels a bit and explained what it is that we can truly rely on. And I suppose that follows naturally from what He has just said about reliance. If my ultimate reliance is on God, rather than on the things of this world, then what am I really attached to?

But what does it mean to stand as a witness? While it can mean little more than seeing something, witnessing it, I think it is more about living out your beliefs so that others can see them. This goes right back to so much of what we have already read here, and how it applies in teaching. Detachment doesn't seem to mean withdrawing from the world. Quite the opposite. We turn towards God, detach ourselves from everything else, and then stand in the world as a witness to what we believe. Detachment, it seems, is not about becoming less involved in the world around us. It is about being less controlled by it.

Now He moves on the understanding, and again, not a definition per se, but helping us see what is at the very core of it.

We often think that understanding is the amount of information we know, but here, He is pointing us to something that almost looks like the opposite. You see, when He says that its essence is to "testify to one's poverty", I don't think He's talking about material poverty. I think it's more about how little we can actually know. A poverty of information, if you will. Perhaps this is why He referred to Socrates as "wise, accomplished and righteous" and "the most distinguished of all philosophers and was highly versed in wisdom", who "perceived a unique, a tempered, and a pervasive nature in things, bearing the closest likeness to the human spirit, and he discovered this nature to be distinct from the substance of things in their refined form." After all, one of Socrates' distinguishing features as a philosopher was that he recognized how little he knew. He understood his poverty of knowledge, or perhaps more accurately, the limitations of his knowledge.

But it is not just about recognizing what it is that we don't know. We also need to "submit to the Will of God'. To try to fight it is essentially the height of foolishness, which would seem to be the very absence of understanding. The real question, though, is how can we recognize God's Will in any given situation. This is where I turn to the attributes of God He identifies at the end of that passage for assistance. "...the Lord, the Sovereign, the Gracious, the All-Powerful." In particular, I'm looking at "the Gracious". I suspect that being gracious, and showing kindness, mercy, and courtesy will go a long way in helping us figure out how best to respond to any given situation.

Once we move on past "understanding", I notice that the next four are all about action, so maybe I'll limit myself to looking at those today.

"The source of courage and power is the promotion of the Word of God, and steadfastness in His Love."

I think this is probably the one I have written the most about in the past. The idea that we gain courage by promoting the Word of God, and being steadfast in His Love, is quite remarkable. We often think that we need courage to promote His Word, to teach, when in fact that is where we get our courage.

But the promotion of the Word of God is not merely about talking. It is shown in our actions, in our life.

I remember helping out with a teaching project in Toronto one year. We were going door to door in an apartment complex, letting people know about a children's class that was starting in the park. I was a bit leery about doing this, but figured what the heck. I knew the project was good, and that the community would benefit from it. And besides, I didn't live there, so what did I have to lose? A few people closed their doors in our face, but a few wanted to talk more about it. And that gave me tremendous courage to continue. The closed doors didn't bother me, but the positive responses were like fresh water in the desert. And when the group got back together, those responses were all we talked about.

On the action front, I have often thought about the Bab, and the stories of how He did business. I have tried to apply His level of honesty and integrity to my own business as much as I could, and the response has been overwhelming. So positive. And I have noticed such a difference in my relationships with my clients at markets as opposed to when I was merely trying to make an extra dollar or two.

But one thing I have noticed, on reflection, is that it not only encouraged me, these things have given me a source of power on which to draw. I find myself filled with energy at these markets I do, far more than those around me. I'm excited to meet the customers and see what each new day brings. After all, every day there builds more relationships in ways that are truly meaningful to me.

I had long wondered at the pairing of courage and power in this paragraph, and I think, finally, I have a bit of an answer.

On to charity, another one of those passages where He tells us what the "essence of charity is". I had thought it would have something to do with being generous and giving to others, but He says it is to "recount the blessings" we have been given, and to "render thanks" to God "at all times and under all conditions."

And once again, upon reflection, it begins to make sense. When we count our blessings, we become more aware of just how much we really have, even when we have very little. Perhaps especially when we have very little. Too often people look at what they don't have, or what they can't afford. Rather than looking at the positive, what they are blessed with, they look ahead toward infinity and are never satisfied. But when we start at zero, and see what we have been gifted with, then we become more aware of our abundance.

The next step, that of giving thanks, puts us in a position of gratitude. It is from this position that we are most able to see just how much we can help others. So, yes, I can see how this would be the very essence of charity, where it stems from.

From charity Baha'u'llah moves on to faith, telling us that at its core, it is "fewness of words and abundance of deeds". This is a theme found through the Writings, but it is stated with the utmost clarity here.

I recently completed a study of the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, and one of the things I noticed over and over was just how much importance Baha'u'llah places upon action. There are numerous times when He mentions what someone talked about, but He almost always follows it up with either praising an action they took, or a call to take an action. Words, He seems to recognize, are truly just air. But when we act, we can change the world.

By calling this the very essence of faith, He seems to be implying that if our faith does not lead us to action, then how can it be called faith?

The latter part of the statement is pointing out that if all we do is talk, far more than we act, then our death would be better than our life. Now I'm certain He is not calling for the execution of those who talk more than they do. No. I think it is far deeper than that. I suspect He is pointing out a few different things. At least, a few different interpretations of this come to mind.

First, if our actions are to be greater than our words, then in this case we are in a deficit. More words, less action. At least when we die, we can do neither. That's a zero sum, which is better than a negative.

Second, if all we are doing is talking, then I suspect a lot of people would be disappointed at our lack of action. In that case, our passing would mitigate that disappointment.

Third, in the next world it seems that we are more aware of the effect of our actions in this world. If that is the case, then we would probably be filled with remorse if all we did was talk. I am certain I would lament all the actions I missed taking. So in that regard, too, it would be better if I had passed away earlier. There would be less for me to feel bad about.

Strange, where my mind went with all that, but it sure seems to make sense to me.

Finally, "The essence of true safety is to observe silence, to look at the end of things and to renounce the world."

Again, we have an "essence" here, that of "true safety". But it seems to be a contradiction of what we have just read. But is it? Promotion of the Word of God, to actions speaking louder than words. The direction seems clear, in hindsight.

But it does raise a few questions. First, what sort of silence is He talking about? Second, what does it mean to look at the end of all things? And third, how would renunciation lead us to true safety?

On the surface, He has just been telling us to act more, and speak less. So one form of this is to stop explaining ourselves, or defending ourselves, or even discussing what ought to be done, and instead just get on with it. But He joins silence to looking at the end of things and renouncing the world, so there may be a broader idea here than simply talking less.

So, what does it mean to "look at the end of things"? Well, it could mean considering the consequences of our actions, or not acting, which would connect it all back to the earlier statements on wisdom. It could also mean looking beyond our immediate desires, or disappointments that come our way, and considering what ultimately matters.

It could even be like Majnun in the Seven Valleys, where he begins by cursing the watchmen for chasing him, but then, after he falls into Layli's garden, he praises them. What had been an obstacle for him, he now recognized as an integral part of the journey. That calls to mind the earlier idea of not being controlled by those things happening around us.

And in the end, isn't that the essence of safety? To renounce the world doesn't mean to turn our backs on it, but to stop depending on it for our ultimate security. We can still act, teach, work, and love, but we do so while trusting in God rather than in any particular outcome.