Wherefore must the loved ones of God associate in
affectionate fellowship with stranger and friend alike, showing forth to all
the utmost loving-kindness, disregarding the degree of their capacity, never
asking whether they deserve to be loved. In every instance let the friends be
considerate and infinitely kind. Let them never be defeated by the malice of
the people, by their aggression and their hate, no matter how intense. If
others hurl their darts against you, offer them milk and honey in return; if
they poison your lives, sweeten their souls; if they injure you, teach them how
to be comforted; if they inflict a wound upon you, be a balm to their sores; if
they sting you, hold to their lips a refreshing cup.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha ('Selections
from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha')
