Self-Respect
September 14th, 2002
Now, I will take you to the 14th of September. Bhagavan made this statement: “Never beg from anybody. Don’t be a beggar. Don’t ask for anything. Things will come to you. If your thoughts are selfless, if your motive is selfless, and if your activity is charged by love, things will come to you. You don’t need to ask for them. Self-respect has got to be maintained. Self-esteem is very important.” That’s what Bhagavan said.
Bhagavan said, “Look at Me. I have not asked for anything. I have not stretched My hand to anybody, but things come on their own. Why? I am selfless. I am full of Love. If you are also like Me, everything will be perfect and proper.”
And another thing He said, “Never be after show. Never be after exhibitionism. Never be after publicity. Never be after vainglory. Never be after self-aggrandizement. Never be after self-praise.”
My friends, you should excuse me for using so many words. All my attempts are only a struggle to make myself clear to you.
Then He gave an example. Bhagavan went to Delhi some time ago. There, a beautiful car -- car number one, owned by the President of the country -- was sent to receive Bhagavan at the airport with the request and prayer that He could use this car wherever He went. But you know what Bhagavan said? “Nothing doing. This is a government car. This car belongs to the government. You are the head of the government. You have no right to loan that car to Me. I am not going to get into that car.” Instead, He got into a small Morris, old model car. Why? Self-respect is more important than a gorgeous car or the latest model car.
It is a lesson for all of us. It is better to stand on our own two legs than ‘shine with borrowed feathers’ – that was the lesson of Bhagavan.
