High-minded ideals are powerless to change the world unless we act on them. Seems simple enough yet it’s apparent that a sufficient amount of action has yet to occur—wars, terror, oppression, hate are still the gruesome menu of “modern” culture.
Even taking no action toward a more peaceful world is taking action. We can’t avoid action if we want to stay alive.
From OneWorld.Net: Development Aid Declining Worldwide
From the Center for Global Development: Poverty afflicts more than half the world’s people
From the Utne Reader: In Praise of Economic Pain
But, what do we choose to act on? Here’s the place most people get it wrong if they really want peace. Too many folk feel that talking it up with friends and neighbors is helping. But, if that talking never leads to concrete action, it was a total waste. Too severe a judgement? What if the talking is to “raise people’s consciousness” about what needs to be done? Still, if it doesn’t lead to concrete action, it’s been a waste of time. Preparing ourselves to take action for peace, even if we see most of the world huddling under the tent of inaction, is the first step toward helping our world attain lasting peace.
Our actions can be extremely local—peace in our family, peace in the neighborhood, peace in the village, town, or city.
Our actions can be extremely global—serving on international committees of action or Non-Governmental Organizations, traveling to take the message of acting for peace to other lands, serving others in local environments far from our home.
Strongly motivated action comes from high ideals blended with intense emotion—what some would call spiritual motivation.
Bottom-line, no one acts for peace if their life is completely focused only on themselves…
The next post in this series will focus on one of the most insidious barriers to peace—Racism.
Spiritual Quote:
“What profit is there in agreeing that universal friendship is good, and talking of the solidarity of the human race as a grand ideal? Unless these thoughts are translated into the world of action, they are useless.
“The wrong in the world continues to exist just because people talk only of their ideals, and do not strive to put them into practice. If actions took the place of words, the world’s misery would very soon be changed into comfort….
“If I love you, I need not continually speak of my love—you will know without any words. On the other hand if I love you not, that also will you know—and you would not believe me, were I to tell you in a thousand words, that I loved you.”
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 16
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Pingback: Path Toward Peace « Our Evolution
The path towards peace begins with becoming open minded, then helping others become the same. With open mindedness, there is no prejudice or hate. There is peace within ourselves that we can radiate towards everyone we meet.
Kristi,
“The path towards peace begins with becoming open minded…”
I can certainly agree with that !
Still, to *become* open minded takes action, eh?
Forgiveness does not change the past,but it does enlarge the future of peace..
Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love and peace.!
Thank you, Catherine, for such pertinent aphorisms!
You wrote: Even taking no action toward a more peaceful world is taking action. We can’t avoid action if we want to stay alive.
All I can to add is just to say Amen.
Thus I question myself, am I alive?
The truth was grasped such way – Each day is the test to our consciousness and the peace we experience is the award for our faithfulness.
Tomas,
“…the peace we experience is the award for our faithfulness…”
Totally lovely sentiment !!!
Peace is something that begins inside each human being. It is not one person’s job to impose ideas on or compel other people to act. You set an example and hope to inpsire people with your own behavior. Human beings have free will.
Liara,
Exactly…
Pingback: Path Toward Peace ~Prologue « RAVENSCAWL
Our awareness to speak of world peace is a noble act which will only be compliment with an ACTION.
Aasha,
Yes! Action rules!!