OBEDIENCE, HIS WISH AND HIS WILL

 
Obedience to Meher Baba's wishes and orders was the most important requirement for living with Him, and in connection with this, He cited four types of obedience.

The obedience of a soldier which is patriotic obedience.
The obedience of a servant which is paid obedience.
The obedience of a slave which is compulsory obedience.
The obedience of a lover which is willing obedience without expectation of reward.

Meher Baba said that even in willing obedience there were the following four stages:

The lover follows orders literally without using common sense.
The lover uses common sense and discrimination.
The lover exhibits complete obedience for the Beloved's pleasure.
The lover exhibits absolute obedience.

Baba added that the last-named kind of obedience was rarely seen, and found only in those who were spiritually advanced.

When one of the mandali requested a clarification regarding His wish and His will as they pertained to the mandali, Baba replied: "When I say to the mandali, 'I want you to do this', it means I would like you to do this if you can. It equals a request on My part.

"When I say 'I wish you to do this', it means I want you to obey, whether you can or cannot. It is an order and the chance of My wish being thwarted is by your disobedience.

"When I say 'I will you to do this', it means you are to do it definitely and automatically, and you are able to do it because I make it possible."