The Special Work

At the Annual Bahá’í Convention held in Chicago in 1923 Jináb-i-Fáḍil told the following story: A woman went to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, received His teachings and blessings, and asked for a special work. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, ‘Spread the law of Love. Live in accord with love, reciprocity and co-operation.’

She answered, “I want something special. All Bahá’ís are asked to do this.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá answered, “Very well. Come tomorrow morning, when you are about to leave, and I will give you the special work.”

She was very happy all that day and night, in anticipation. The next day ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said to her, “I am going to give you my son that you may educate him physically, mentally and spiritually.”

She was surprised, and was made happy at this. But her surprise gave way to wonder when she reflected that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had no son. What could He mean? ‘Abdu’l-Bahá asked, “Do you know this son of mine?”

Then He told her. In her city there had lived a man, her worst enemy. He had died leaving a son, with no one to take care of him: this was now her task. When she heard this she was overwhelmed. She was spiritually reborn. She wept and said, “My Master, I now know what the Bahá’í Cause means.”

Source: Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Annamarie Honnold), pp. 106–107.

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: teaching).

Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/teaching