Essays Essays II
Tablet Sixteen
PREDESTINATION OR CHOICE
<1>There has been a great and long argument on this subject. Some say all are predestined, and others say man has choice.
<2>In truth both of them are correct. To demonstrate this, let us use an example:
<3>If we imagine that there is a king in a land and he rules the land with great authority and power, then all his subjects obey his will. So we can suppose that he has complete control over his people.
<4>However, if we consider his prime minister and a peasant in his kingdom, which one has more freedom of choice in his life?
<5>Of course the peasant does, because he can choose where he wants to live, how to spend his day, how to relate to others, etc. <6>But the prime minister or those who are closer to the king, have a much smaller choice in these regards. However, they have more power in the land.
<7>Furthermore, if the king willed some peasant to do something for him, such a person also loses his choice and has to follow the will of the king.
<8>Also those who know the will of the great king and follow it will lose their choices but will receive his mercy and come to be in his presence.
<9>This is also true between the human and the Father. Those who come close to Him lose their choices, because they have to follow His Will. <10>Those who do not follow His Will have choice but will not come close to Him. <11>Those whom He chooses to do His Will, knowingly or unknowingly, will do it, and those who do His Will, will go unto Him.
<12>As in a land there are laws which all have to follow and if they do not they will be punished, also there are Laws in the universe that all have to follow.
<13>So although those who are peasants in His Kingdom have the choice to choose, their choices are limited. <14>They cannot go against His Laws, but are freer than those who are closer to Him.
<15>Therefore, those who are close to Him, follow His Will or are chosen for a task, have their lives predestined. <16>But those who are neither close to Him, nor follow His Will, nor are chosen, have choice in their lives, and their choices shape their progress or otherwise.
Greater than meditation is to share God (Satsang) with someone.
Greater than prayer is to fulfill someone else's need.
Greater than fasting is to feed someone who is starving!
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