Aug 16, 2015

August 16- striving for excellence

There is a difference between character and faith; it is often very hard to accept this fact and put up with it, but the fact remains that a person may believe in and love the Cause -- even to being ready to die for it -- and yet not have a good personal character, or possess traits at variance with the teachings. We should try to change, to let the Power of God help recreate us and make us true Bahá'ís in deed as well as in belief. But sometimes the process is slow, sometimes it never happens because the individual does not try hard enough. But these things cause us suffering and are a test to us in our fellow-believers, most especially if we love them and have been their teacher!
- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 17 October 1944 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; ‘The Unfolding Destiny’)