Parables from Simple Things
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When in Bahá'í history
'Akká (today: Acre, Israel)
‘Abdu’l-Bahá had such an easy way of leading into a meaningful conversation. He would begin ‘with some simple reference to a natural thing, the weather, food, a stone, tree, water, the prison, a garden or a bird, our coming, or some little act of service, and this base would be woven into a parable and teaching of wisdom and simplicity, showing the oneness of all Spiritual Truth, and adapting it always to the life, both of the individual and of mankind. All of His words are directed toward helping men to live. Unless questions of metaphysics, dogmas and doctrines be introduced, He seldom mentions them. He speaks easily, clearly, in brief phrases, each of which is a gem.’
Source: Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Annamarie Honnold), no. 37, “Simplicity in teaching”, quoting Thornton Chase’s account of his 1907 pilgrimage to ‘Akká, In Galilee, pp. 33–34.
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: teaching).
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