The Vision of True Devotion
By Kateb Nuri-Alim Shunnar
A man came to me while I was scribing in the light of the sun and asked if I could spare a moment so he may share a few words. I replied, "Time is no problem; take as much as you need." The man thanked me gracefully and said, "I’ve come to relate the story of two brothers whose father was an upright man. One day, the oldest brother began to boast to his father about how devoted he was to God, like him. The brother then suggested that his younger brother needed to follow his example so that their father would be proud of him. The father never replied to his son. He kept silent and let his son boast for hours, eventually pretending to fall asleep so his son could leave. Two weeks later, the older brother returned to his father. But before the son could speak, the father spoke first. 'Have you seen your younger brother? Have you heard from him in the last month?' The son replied, 'Father, I have not heard from him, but I have seen him on the rugged side of town, spending all of his time with the wretched orphans and beggars, building homes and schools, and giving away all the wealth he has attained from you and his profession. Father, what a silly man he is, for he does not spend all of his time and money at the temple. Nor is he looking after the sons he fathered like I look after mine by enriching them and giving them what their hearts desire. One day he will learn and make time for God and think about his children’s future and inheritance. One day he will learn to love God and himself like we do.' The father then replied, 'My son, your vision is impaired, and your feet are sinking in shallow water. Now leave my sight.' After the man told me this story, he asked what it meant to me. I replied, 'I’ve learned from this story that many of us are blind when it comes to loving God. We believe that going to the temple and giving a portion of our wealth is a form of loving God. However, we fail to realize that loving God is more than just going to the temple and donating money. It is our daily lives that determine our love for God. I have learned that changing our community and helping to build a better way of life for all is the best inheritance you can leave your children and future generations. We must become the physical embodiment of the characteristics of God—beneficent, merciful, caring, comforting, wise, bountiful, helpful, pleasant, and much more. Those who cannot see this are visually impaired, and their feet are sinking in shallow water.' The man smiled and said, 'O scribe, my moment has expired.' And he turned and walked away.
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