12. Ambassadors of Goodwill

Share the spiritual message

The world faces a long list of pressing problems: the time bomb of environmental issues, territorial conflicts, struggling economies, natural disasters, rising crime and widespread poverty. On an individual level, stress, depression and suicide rates are also rising. It’s a bleak picture. For devotees of Krishna, turning a blind eye to the pain of others is not an option. The life of a spiritualist is a life of giving, a life of compassion, and a life of sacrifice for the upliftment of society. Selfless service in consciousness of God is at the very heart of bhakti.

Ancient scriptures are not disconnected from our modern day social context; the teachings provide spiritual solutions for every prevailing issue of the day. The political, economic and social problems we witness are essentially caused by a neglect and disregard of spiritual values. While modern philanthropists, social workers and political leaders have good intentions, they often fail to identify the root of the problem and instead simply address the immediate symptoms. Often their solutions are not as universal, beneficial or permanent as we would like. For that, we have to incorporate spiritual wisdom into the equation.

Only when there is inner peace can there be world peace. While people are experiencing a vacuum within, they will invariably exploit the external world to fill that void. While there is conflict and agitation within, people will recreate the same in their relationships and communities. Thus, to nurture a spiritual heart, we can all become ambassadors of goodwill and share the spiritual message with others. This is undoubtedly the highest welfare work. By accessing the wisdom of Bhagavad-gita, people can flourish on all levels: physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

How do you share spirituality with others? You can strike up a conversation about Krishna, put up a poster advertising a Hare Krishna event, or give someone a book about Krishna. You could organise a spiritual evening at your home and invite family and friends to hear about the teachings of Bhagavad-gita. You could distribute prasadam to colleagues at work. You could join a weekend Harinam Sankirtan party to help spread the holy name with others. You could use your talents to promote spirituality through music, writing, art or drama. Sharing the message of bhakti-yoga is not a self-righteous, dull or boring affair. Through dynamism, resourcefulness and enthusiasm we can enrich people’s lives, and simultaneously accrue great spiritual merit for our efforts. We find ourselves by thinking of others.