If we could perceive the true reality of things we would see
that the greatest of all battles raging in the world today is the spiritual
battle. If the believers like yourself, young and eager and full of life,
desire to win laurels for true and undying heroism, then let them join in the
spiritual battle — whatever their physical occupation may be — which involves
the very soul of man. The hardest and the noblest task in the world today is to
be a true Bahá'í; this requires that we defeat not only the current evils
prevailing all over the world, but the weaknesses, attachments to the past,
prejudices, and selfishnesses that may be inherited and acquired within our own
characters; that we give forth a shining and incorruptible example to our
fellow-men.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 5 April 1942 to
an individual believer; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Excellence in
All Things)
