WHAT MEANING DOES THIS WORSHIP OF YOURS HAVE?

 
Once during the summer at Meherabad Baba decided to walk to Arangaon village — a half mile away — and he motioned for the mandali to follow Him. Vishnu was working barefooted at the time, but he joined Baba immediately without stopping to put on his sandals.

After the group of them had walked some distance, Baba turned to Vishnu and said, "Quickly, go back to Meherabad and fetch my slate." But then noticing that he was barefooted, Baba said, "Why didn't you wear your sandals? Put on mine and hurry up!"

Vishnu was greatly taken aback by this order and replied, "Oh no, Baba, I cannot use Your sandals!"

"Why not?" Baba inquired.

"Because," Vishnu told Him, "to me they are worthy of worship! How can I wear them and continue to worship them?"

Baba answered, "You may go on worshipping them, but when it is My order you should carry it out willingly."

"I would rather die than put on Your sandals, Baba!" Vishnu pleaded.

At this point Baba asked, "What meaning does this worship of yours have? It seems that what you love and worship is your own conviction, while My words themselves have no value to you." Upon hearing this, Vishnu finally understood. He then obediently put on Baba's sandals and ran back to Meherabad to fetch the slate.