The Unanswered Calling
- Details
- Category: Vocation
- Created: Wednesday, 04 May 2011 04:46
- Published: Wednesday, 04 May 2011 04:35
- Written by Phillipe Copeland, Baha'i Thought
- Hits: 1927
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I wrote recently that the soul of unemployment is not about money but about meaning. A magnificent on-line project called What's Your Calling reinforces this idea. The site provides personal stories of people's experience of their work as a calling, whether in spiritual or secular terms. The concept of calling, of one's work as a vocation, as an expression of one's values or perhaps one's very place in the universe is the beating heart of many people's workday. It may be one contributing factor to experiencing work as worship as described in the Baha'i teachings. 'Abdu'l-Baha (1844-1921) head of the Baha'i Faith from 1892-1921 wrote:
"Yes: In the Bahá'í Cause arts, sciences and all crafts are (counted as) worship. The man who makes a piece of notepaper to the best of his ability, conscientiously, concentrating all his forces on perfecting it, is giving praise to God. Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity. This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer."