The great thing is to "live the life"--to have our
lives so saturated with the Divine teachings and the Bahá'í Spirit that people
cannot fail to see a joy, a power, a love, a purity, a radiance, an efficiency
in our character and work that will distinguish us from worldly-minded people
and make people wonder what is the secret of this new life in us. We must
become entirely selfless and devoted to God so that every day and every moment
we seek to do only what God would have us do and in the way He would have us do
it. If we do this sincerely then we shall have perfect unity and harmony with
each other. Where there is want of harmony, there is lack of the true Bahá'í
Spirit. Unless we can show this transformation in our lives, this new power,
this mutual love and harmony, then the Bahá'í teachings are but a name to
us.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter dated 14 February
1925 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; The
Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Living the Life)