Virtues – Sacrifice 

One of the Meanings of Sacrifice 

Source: Star of the West, Volume 4 – Issue 12

Talk by Abdul-Baha to one of the friends, October 22, 1912.

GOD will assist you. One of the great prophets of the Orient, one of the worthies of the East, called Ali, says, that whosoever seeks after anything and is serious about it, will find it. Seek and ye shall find. Whosoever knocks at any door and is persistent about it, there is no doubt that the door will be opened unto him.

Now, as long as you are interested in the Movement, and interested seriously, and you are investigating reality, you are the lover of reality, there is no doubt that you will attain.

When man dedicates his life to a cause, he must dedicate entirely, then he is really dedicated. It is not through word, but through deed. One must dedicate his life completely, fully, in reality, just as the dead branch sacrifices its life to the fire, and just as the oil sacrifices its life to give light. This is the great station—the station of sacrifice. There is no greater station than this.

In Oriental language, there is the expression, “May my life be a sacrifice to you,” and a man writing a hundred letters a day might use these words a hundred times and yet he would not sacrifice anything for his friend. But this is a custom—a usage. Everybody who writes a letter to his friend says “May my life be a sacrifice to you,” and perhaps he does not realize the meaning at all.

The station of sacrifice is the great foundation. When you read the Old and New Testament, you will find that constantly the word “sacrifice” is mentioned. It is recorded that the Israelites sacrificed sheep so that their sins might be forgiven. In the time of Adam, Cain made sacrifice of sheaves of wheat and Abel made sacrifice of sheep. Now this is a symbol, and this word extended after the time of Christ.

What is the symbol? Just as the sheep sacrificed its life, likewise this natural state of man, which is the animalistic state, must be sacrificed. How should it be sacrificed? The vices of the animalistic state of man must be entirely annihilated, and he must be characterized with divine virtues. It was a symbol and before His Holiness Christ appeared, all the Israelitish prophets made sacrifice of animals. This was a mystery of that higher sacrifice and when Christ came he said, I will sacrifice myself for the sake of the salvation of all. What did He mean? He meant to change their characters, and in this way make them heavenly, in this way make them God-like, spiritual and divine.

This is one of the meanings of sacrifice.