Baba says, ‘Everyone is absolutely, in their own way, an elevated maharathi and needed’.

Each one of My children has their own specialty, Baba says with pride. Each one of us is unique with our own wiring, we have things we are good at and things we’re not so good at. The good news is that there is a place in the Father’s world for all His children. Not only is there a place but He says, each one is needed, each one is a specially chosen instrument for His unlimited task.

The problem arises when I don’t realize this and try to make others like me or I try to be like others. Well, God wants us all to be who we are. He needs each of us to bring what we have and work together as one family, without comparison or thinking that our task determines our worth and value. Maybe someone else reads the Murli on stage and I am the person that arranges the chairs in the hall. Everyone sees them but no one really sees me or even knows I exist. I feel invisible, feel that I am not important enough. Baba says, ‘in front of the Father, each of you is a maharathi in your own way’. Others may not see me but God sees me. Let me stop looking at others and think that because they have what the world would deem as a more important job, they are therefore more important than me. In God’s economy, everyone is equal irrespective of the task, on stage/off stage, at home/at center, in Bharat/outside Bharat, whatever.

I could be the person on stage saying all the right things to much applause but my heart isn’t honest. I am a different person off stage than when I am on stage. And someone else is a homemaker at home taking care of her family with love, as Baba’s instrument. She does the seemingly ordinary tasks through the day, that no one else sees, but does them with her heart connected with Baba. Guess who experiences His companionship more?! Guess who experiences her full inheritance of peace, happiness, joy, love and power?!

People assess each other by what they do, by their accomplishments, by their name and fame. God is not like people. He couldn’t care less about what I do, He loves me because I am His child. Let me learn to separate my ‘who’ from my ‘do’. I am NOT what I do, I am who God says I am- His child. Baba says, ‘don’t ever think that certain ones are loved more and that you yourselves are not loved as much. It is not like that. In order to carry on with the task, someone has to be made an instrument with love.‘ And so it is not the task that matters, that’s not what God sees, He sees my heart. Let me stop comparing myself and feel disheartened because I don’t have as glamorous a role as someone else – it just simply doesn’t matter to God.

Not only does it not matter to God, in fact, He doesn’t like that I feel bad about myself. I am His chosen instrument for the task I am doing and to feel badly about myself because of what I do is to say that I don’t think God did the right thing. Sometimes, even the language I use is derogatory toward myself: ‘I am no one special, I’m just an ordinary housewife…’, ‘I am just the janitor…’. Let me not lower myself or apologize for what I’m doing! I don’t have to feel pressured to look like, act like or do like anyone else – in fact I won’t be able to even if I tried. God has called me to be me, He wants me. Let me do with a good attitude whatever it is that God has me doing. Tomorrow, if He wants me to do something else, He will let me know and get me to where He needs me to be.

When I try to force myself to be someone else, I deprive the world of the gifts that I have because I don’t let them come forth; I am too focused on something else. The specialties in each one is for you to enjoy, not to get jealous of, says Baba. Maybe my specialty is singing and so when I sing, my gift is causing me to work but others get to simply enjoy it, just as I get to enjoy other’s gifts. Everyone has their own lane. Even if 10 people have the same specialization, they differentiate themselves by the uniqueness of their personalities. I don’t need to compare, compete or be jealous of anyone- in fact that’s meaningless- I just need to be me. ‘Don’t try to be someone else‘, He says, ‘simply be the best version of you‘.

When I take a step back and get perspective, all I can do is marvel at God’s wonderful family and at how He uses one tiny specialty in each child to grow us, mold us, build confidence in us and make us the sovereigns He wants us to be. He is the Magician, He changes me from a caterpillar into a butterfly. And so whatever gift I have, let me not make the mistake of thinking more highly of myself than I ought to. When that project or program goes well, to feel good about the success, to feel good that I played my role well is a good thing as long as I don’t forget Who enabled me. God chose me to be His instrument, He put me in front and gave me the confidence to do what I did. Let me realize that it’s never what I do that’s important, it’s my relationship with God that’s important. That is the blessing.

When you cook something but forget to put in all the ingredients – even if you miss out something as ordinary as salt or sugar – then, no matter how beautiful the dish may look, it won’t be worth eating. In the same way, each and every jewel is essential for the elevated task of world benefit. Everyone’s finger of co-operation is needed. The task of world transformation will only be accomplished with each one’s finger of co-operation, says Baba. Let me lend my finger of co-operation by embracing who I am, enjoying my brothers and sisters and ensuring unity in diversity.