Daily Meditation: Friday, November 11, 2005

Character - more important than intellectual faculties

11/11/2005

Generally speaking, what people value first and foremost in others are their knowledge and intellectual faculties. Their character and behaviour are considered far less important. Of course, when someone unpleasant causes them to suffer, people complain: ‘How ill-natured he is!’…‘What an insufferable character!’… or, ‘He’s spineless, he has no character!’ All of a sudden they forget that this someone has doctorates from four or five universities, that he has written some thirty books, and so on, and they consider only his character. They themselves must be stung, bitten, led astray or deceived in order to understand how important this question of character is. Until then, they put intellectual faculties above all else. Well, it is time for each of you to put character back in first place, not only as it pertains to others, but also to yourself. You must work tirelessly every day to awaken the forces and qualities the Creator has planted in your heart, your soul and your spirit.