Prosperity in its fullest sense
PROSPERITY, in its fullest sense, is achievable through a combination of material and spiritual well-being. It can be attained when these two aspects in our lives advance together.
While humanity has well advanced in material aspects of life, there is need to reinforce our material achievements with spiritual perfections. As the Baháí Writings state: “… until material achievements, physical accomplishments and human virtues are reinforced by spiritual perfections, luminous qualities and characteristics of mercy, no fruit or result shall issue there from, nor will the happiness of the world of humanity, which is the ultimate aim, be attained.”
The persistent ills in society, such as ethnic and racial tensions, intolerance and extremism, lawlessness, and violence, cannot be alleviated by material means alone. Such social ills are rooted in values and attitudes that shape relationships between individuals, communities, and nations.
We need a social order in which every member of our human family has the opportunity to advance culturally and intellectually, also morally and spiritually.
The Baháí Writings state: “Two calls to success and prosperity are being raised from the heights of the happiness of mankind … The one is the call of civilisation, of the progress of the material world. This pertaineth to the world of phenomena, promoteth the principles of material achievement, and is the trainer for the physical accomplishments of mankind …
“The other is the soul-stirring call of God, whose spiritual teachings are safeguards of the everlasting glory, the eternal happiness and illumination of the world of humanity, and cause attributes of mercy to be revealed in the human world and the life beyond.”
Moral maturity comes from spiritual awareness, and the moral code that has the transformative power for action originates from the guidance given to us by our Creator.
Cultivating the moral and spiritual aspects in life has many benefits: we as individuals develop more and more those qualities that lie at the foundation of human happiness and social progress – qualities such as love, faith, courage, compassion, trustworthiness and humility. As these qualities become increasingly manifest in individuals, society as a whole advances.
Such qualities, of course, must be practiced by the whole human race and not only by our own ethnic group, race or religion. They must be practiced within our families, at our work places, and in our communities.
“The fundamental spiritual truth of our age is the oneness of humanity,” states the Baháí International Community and that “the oneness of humanity is … the operating principle and ultimate goal of humankind’s collective life on the planet,” and that “universal acceptance of this principle will both necessitate and make possible major restructuring of the world’s educational, social, agricultural, industrial, economic, legal and political systems.”
The Baháí International Community further states: “The profound and far-reaching changes, the unity and unprecedented co-operation will only be possible by touching the human spirit, by appealing to those universal values which alone can empower individuals and peoples to act in accordance with the long-term interests of the planet and humanity as a whole.
Once tapped, this powerful and dynamic source of individual and collective motivation will release such a profound and salutary spirit among the people of the earth that no power will be able to resist its unifying force,” it adds.
Prosperity, in its fullest sense, should be based on social justice, reciprocity and equity. It requires that well-being of every member of society is ensured. It is attainable when material and spiritual aspects in our lives advance together.