Baba says, “The Father doesn’t dislike anyone. He has love for everyone. You children too have to become the same.”

There is infinite praise of God but perhaps the most important and foremost praise of the Father is that He is the Ocean of Love. Only His love is true, selfless and unconditional. That word- unconditional- is what qualifies God as also the Ocean of Mercy. He is called the Merciful One because no matter what, He doesn’t judge a soul, let alone dislike them. He only loves.

When I came to God, I was completely bankrupted of all honor and dignity, having spent birth after birth begging for respect, love and appreciation. I compromised on my integrity, on my values, all so that I could please a few people and fit in. I hustled, elbowed, manipulated my brothers and sisters for what I believed was my share of the pie. But despite that, God loved me just as much then as He does now. He accepted me just as wholeheartedly then as He does now; there has been no change in the quantity or quality of His love towards me. It seems that nothing I can accomplish or do wrong can change how much or how deeply He loves me. Yes, He is certainly happy to see me doing well, progressing in life, making the right choices but that is because He loves me and not so that He can love me, no. That part is unconditional.

He is the Purifier (Patit-Pavan); He, the Ever Pure One, comes into the world when it is the most impure to make it pure again. He does so by purifying the souls. He doesn’t purify through inspiration from up above, no. He comes down to earth, rolls up His sleeves and gets to work practically as my Father, Teacher and Satguru. This is indeed the true meaning of purity. Purity means being able to live in the midst of impurity and serving it such that it transforms.

It’s easy to love people that are just like me, think like me and do like me. Anyone can do that. But as God’s child, I am called upon to love even those who don’t look, dress, think or do like me. Maybe I don’t understand them, I don’t even agree with their principles but then God didn’t agree with most of the things I did or thought about either but He loved me anyway. “The Father doesn’t dislike anyone. He has love for everyone. You children too have to become the same.”, says Baba. Ravan has trained me for half a cycle such that it is so much easier to judge. As far as I’m concerned, so-and-so makes poor choices, has a rough lifestyle and is frankly, just odd. So, I think, I’m justified in keeping a safe distance. But God doesn’t keep a distance, His love is not exclusive, it is inclusive. He doesn’t box people and ignore those that are ‘different’. He doesn’t write anyone off because they failed to follow His direction for the 50th time. He loves everyone– no matter who they are and where they are in their journey. That is unconditional love. I may not agree with someone’s lifestyle, with how they are raising their kids, with the neighborhood they live in, their choice of friends etc. but I do know that we are all children of the same Father and therefore, we are brothers and sisters. And our Father has not asked me to judge anyone, or to label them, He has called on me to only love, as He does. Yes, it is natural to be concerned about someone’s choices but it is not reason to stop loving them. Besides, when I look at my own life journey, I realize that no one stays where they are right now. Just as I transformed and continue to transform, they will too. Let me not make the mistake of judging anyone based on where they are right now. If God had done that, none of us would be where we are today.

It’s easy to have a ‘holier than thou’ attitude with others but that’s not purity, that’s not the sign of someone with self-respect either. When I am truly self-respecting, I understand and accept the other where they are. And sure, when I show that unconditional love, others may not change right away, it may seem that they continue to make poor choices but then that’s right where I was and still am in certain areas. Baba keeps telling me to change that sanskar and I still struggle with it. Doesn’t mean He is wasting His time, those seeds that He is sowing in me do work. Even though I may not change right away, His words and love ensure I keep trying, I keep chipping away until one day, I have overcome that sanskar. And so every time, I show love, I show patience, I show acceptance, I am sowing seeds like God did. How long will it be before those seeds take root and sprout? I don’t know but I don’t need to know. That’s not my business.

But sometimes, because of the conditioning of half a cycle, I feel that it is my duty to confront the other about their behavior, that I have to straighten them out. No, let me clear on the roles- God, the Mother and Father, will confront and correct the child; that’s His role as the Parent. My role is to simply love….without judgment. When I am merciful in this way, when I am understanding, and accepting, that heals, and restores the soul. There are enough people in the world that judge, criticize and label, that taunt, reject and push others down. Let me, as the child of the Ocean of Love and Mercy, not be one among them. Let me be one who uplifts, who loves, who heals and restores. If someone is a Brahmin or not, whether they know God or not, whether they are educated or not, whether they are sober or suffering from an addiction, no matter what their religion, nationality, gender….God says, my duty is to accept everyone and love them. “Sit in front of the picture of the tree“, He says. When I do, I realize that He is not just my Father or the Father of Brahmins, He is the Father of the whole tree! I too belong in that same tree, I am not separate. Yes, most people don’t look like me or think like me but the tree makes it clear that indeed, they are not supposed to! We’are all meant to be different, that’s what makes this a variety drama, an interesting drama. We think that God would want nothing to do with those people who do all those ‘bad’ things, but no. His mercy extends to the whole tree.

“You children are the Father’s helpers.“, says Baba. God is using me to plant seeds of love and acceptance in the hearts of His children. They don’t need to hear me preach to them or tell them what they’re doing wrong. They already know that. I just need to love them, like the Father does, unconditionally.