March 31. On this date in 1932, Shoghi Effendi wrote teachers "are only pure souls who take the first step, and then let the spirit of Bahá'u'lláh move them and make use of them....perhaps thrown aside by the Spirit of the Cause as useless souls."

 

March 31. On this date in 1932, Shoghi Effendi wrote teachers "are only pure souls who take the first step, and then let the spirit of Bahá'u'lláh move them and make use of them....perhaps thrown aside by the Spirit of the Cause as useless souls."

65."Perhaps the reason why you have not accomplished so much in the field of teaching, is the extent you looked upon your own weaknesses and inabilities to spread the Message. Bahá'u'lláh and the Master have both urged us repeatedly to disregard our own handicaps and lay our whole reliance upon God. He will come to our help if we only arise and become active channel for God's grace. Do you think it is the teachers who make converts and change human hearts? No, surely not. They are only pure souls who take the first step, and then let the spirit of Bahá'u'lláh move them and make use of them. If any of them should even for a second consider his achievements as due to his own capacities, his work is ended and his fall starts. This is in fact why so many competent have after wonderful services suddenly found themselves absolutely impotent and perhaps thrown aside by the Spirit of the Cause as useless souls. The criterion is the extent to which we are ready to have the will of God operate through us. "Stop being conscious of your frailties, therefore; have a perfect reliance upon God; let your heart burn with the desire to serve His Mission and proclaim His call; and you will observe how eloquence and the power to change human hearts will come as a matter of course.

Shoghi Effendi will surely pray of your success if you should arise and start to teach. In fact the mere act of arising will win for you God's help and blessings."

(From a letter dated March 31, 1932 to an Individual believer)