Change Yourself First
If man had his way, he would change the entire world. He does not like the world’s behaviour. The people of this world do not live up to his expectations, nor do they let him do what he wishes. He feels troubled by everyone. These are some of the reasons that lead to man’s confusion. Because of this, he wishes to change the world. But God has not given any man the power to tamper with the world created by Him. If every person tries to change the world according to his own will, whose wish would prevail?
One person might say, “I am very attracted to the east; everyone should move towards the east.” Another may say, “I prefer the west; everyone must go west.” A third may claim, “North is my direction. I have always been lucky there, so everyone must go north.” A fourth may insist, “I like the south, so everyone should head south.” In this way, people would only wander without direction. Whom would they obey?
Similarly, if one person likes black, he will want everyone to wear black. Another prefers red, a third green, and a fourth blue. Each person has his own preference for colour. But who will decide which colour the whole world should wear? A serious problem would arise—who could solve it?
The same conflicts would extend to food, tastes, and lifestyles. Even the diversity of nature would be questioned. In such a situation, the powerful would triumph while the powerless would suffer defeat. Chaos and violence would spread everywhere. Such ideas may appear appealing in imagination, but they are groundless in reality. That is why God has kept the order of creation beyond human control. Man can only perform his duties in this world, nothing more.
It is not in man’s power to change the world or creation; therefore, he must change himself. His well-being lies in this. If he dislikes the behaviour of others, he should first examine his own inner self. Perhaps his own conduct is flawed, causing people to distance themselves from him. No human being in this world is perfect.
Humans are prone to error, but this does not mean they should continue making mistakes and blaming others. A person should reflect on his conscience and strive to improve himself. His behaviour should be balanced so that those around him are not offended.
A person should look at his own faults rather than those of others. If he honestly counts his own shortcomings, he will realize that no one else has as many as he does. He should search within himself, ignore the faults of others, and recognize their virtues, cooperating with them. Whenever possible, he should remove his own faults. This is called positive action.
A person must first improve himself. Only then will his words have an impact on others. When he resolves to overcome his flaws and attain peace, he transcends the ordinary human level and becomes a noble human being. Then, others value his words, and he becomes capable of guiding society.
