DELUSIVE GRANDEUR
Don’t be Fooled
MAN is free in this world. God has not placed any curbs on him. But this freedom is for the purpose of putting man to the test, and is not meant to encourage him to lead a life of permissiveness and then just pass away one day. Rather its purpose is that man should lead a morally upright life of his own free will, thus demonstrating that he is of a high moral character.
One who conducts himself in this manner should be reckoned as God’s special servant. One who, without any apparent compulsion, chose to be a man of principle; who, without being subjected to any external force, did of his own free will, what his Lord would have desired. This liberty accorded to man gives him the opportunity to gain credit for being the most superior of all God’s creatures.
Man is free in this world. God has not placed any curbs on him. But this freedom is for the purpose of putting man to the test
All the things in this world are God’s subjects. The stars and satellites rotate in space entirely at their Lord’s bidding. Trees, rivers, mountains, and all other such natural phenomena function according to the unchangeable laws of God laid down by Him in advance. Similarly, the animals follow exactly those instincts instilled in their species as a matter of Divine Will. Man is the only creature who has been given, exceptionally, the gift of power and freedom.
This freedom has opened doors of two kinds for man, one leading to success and the other to failure. If, on receiving freedom an individual becomes arrogant and insolent, it will mean that he has failed the test. People usually take worldly success to be an indication of success in the life to come. But they are mistaken in this, for success in this life has nothing to do with eternal success.
Worldly grandeur is no true grandeur at all. Whatever the conditions of human existence, all men are the same in that they are being tested. A person’s position on earth is not an indication of success or failure. When one is raised in stature or in some way honoured in this world, one would be mistaken if one were then to look down on others, for all are equal in the face of death. Death puts the whole human race on one level. Great are those whom God sees fit to make great, and lowly are those who are cast down by Him.
People usually take worldly success to be an indication of success in the life to come. But they are mistaken in this, for success in this life has nothing to do with eternal success.
The world being a place of trial, man can pretend to be great, but it will not be long before his real position is exposed. On that day many who have honour in this world will be debased before God; many who claim to be friends of justice and humanity will be exposed as enemies of the very causes they espoused; many who are acclaimed amongst the brave will be condemned as cowards; many who claimed to bow to the truth will be exposed as shams.
On the other hand, those who remain modest and humble, bowing to their Lord’s will on all occasions, will have made the right use of their God-given freedom. They will, without any compulsion, have bound themselves by divine principles. Those who choose this course will succeed in the test of freedom. They will be handsomely rewarded by God as no other creature. Held to be the chosen servants of God, they will remain in an everlasting state of blissfulness and blessedness.