CAUSE THEM TO FEEL MY LOVE AS YOU FEEL IT

 
Wherever I go, people flock about me by the hundreds and thousands. That kind of love is not what I want. Whether people worship or vilify me, I remain what I am. Whether the whole world believes in God or denies Him, God always remains God. I look forward to the love which enables the individual to obey me, so that he may find me and eventually become me.

Therefore I do not want merely crowds to be attracted towards me. I want really sincere souls. I do not necessarily wait for them to come to me. I often go to them. I can — and do — do my own work. You can — and should — share it too.

It is easy to collect crowds, and it is easy for crowds to collect. My greatness cannot be established in the crowds and through the crowds, but even a few with love can make the masses feel my greatness, and keep the greatness established in their hearts. One single person who really loves me can move the whole world.

There is no one here, including myself, who can so love me. If all of you became my real lovers, we would need several more worlds for all of you to work in for me.

My work for you does not consist in your going around beating a big drum for me. Love needs no propaganda. You need love yourself in order to propagate love among others. To spread my love among the people, you have to make them understand me as you understand me. For that you have to bring them to love me as you love me, and that means you have to cause them to feel my love as you feel it. The best way is to show others by your own example how much you love me....

Suppose one of my followers is speaking before a gathering and trying to tell them that Baba is reality and all else is illusion. Suppose that just then a telegram is given to him which tells of a bus accident in which all of his family have been killed. If, in spite of the tragedy and pain of what has happened, he continues to speak with greater conviction, then he has achieved real authority to speak about me and my teachings.

You win the right to tell others what you first accept in letter and spirit for yourself. Show outwardly only what you have won inwardly.

There is no doubt, for example, that I am the Avatar, the Ancient One, but how do you know that I am He? You say so mainly because I say so. I say so based on my own living experience of being That. But for you it is just a belief until you become me. Suppose your belief is wrong?

What I want to impress upon you is this: never give a twist to what you feel deep down in your own hearts. If you feel I am the Avatar, say openly, "Baba is the Avatar." If you feel I am a fraud, do not hesitate to say, "Baba is a fraud." I remain unaffected by praise or abuse. If you speak what you feel to be true, you have the force of truth to make others accept truth.

Honest differences between workers laboring in a common cause are signs of the vitality of the work. But a spirit of discipline is also essential in all creative activities of life. How can people work jointly without discipline, and on the other hand, where would there be scope for self-control and discipline if there were no differences between workers?

Your eyes, ears, nose and mouth are placed in different positions to serve varying purposes. They also appear different in size and shape, and yet all are equally yours. Besides serving specific direct purposes, all your organs are also complementary to each other, and in this respect equally valuable to you. There is no question of one organ competing with another for supremacy of position or service to the body. Each serves in its individual capacity, and all harmonize in the smooth functioning of the whole body.

Differences between workers who toil in the cause of love and truth can either accentuate or mutilate them for other persons, and for the workers as well. Therefore differences must be properly harmonized and fairly adjusted with the aid of discipline, which is more to be lived sincerely within oneself than enforced upon others. But neither differences no discipline should ever be raised above love and truth. They should be sacrificed rather than be allowed to mar or cloud the main object. A body without a soul is best buried, burned or disposed of as quickly as possible. No one would like to die to save one's eyes or ears.