GOD’S MANIFESTATIONS ARE LIKE PERFECT MIRRORS REFLECTING GOD’S ATTRIBUTES
SET 1
GRADE 3 LESSON 1
WELCOME
Introducing the principal theme
In this lesson, we will ask ourselves:
1. WHO IS A MANIFESTATION OF GOD?
The words MANIFESTATION or to MANIFEST: means to reveal, to bring forth something that was not known before.
For Baha’i, the Manifestations of God are great teachers who come when we need them the most when humanity is at its lowest point. When a new Manifestation comes, new teachings about God, our spiritual life, our social lives, and many blessings are released into the world. Each Manifestation is like a teacher taking us from kindergarten, to grade one, and so on. We call this process a progressive revelation. All the Manifestations of God have a special message for us and we will explore them in later lessons. (Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and The Bab and Baha’u’llah) All the Manifestations of God have laws that stay and some that no longer apply so are not applicable to us anymore. All the Manifestations of God tell us a little more about God, about how to be better humans and they move us closer to world unity and peace. All the Manifestations of God are pure mirrors reflecting the light of God.
2. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A PURE MIRROR?
We will use the example of a mirror reflecting light as it helps us understand a little about God and how we are connected. So here is the example, you may already know this. God is like the sun, God’s light reaches us, even if we don’t believe it. God’s light and bounties are for everyone. We (our hearts or spirits) are like the mirror and we can reflect the sun. If we are not working on our spiritual qualities, we are like mirrors that have dust and grime on us and can’t reflect the light or the light is very dim. We are all the same light:- part of God, reflecting God’s attributes like a mirror reflecting the sun. Suppose we take a well-polished mirror and point it towards the sun. In it, we will see the image of the sun, and the more perfectly polished the mirror, the more perfect the image will be. Manifestations are pure mirrors. They reflect 100% the light of God. The Manifestations of God are special Beings Who reveal to humanity the Word and the Will of God. When we listen to Them, we are responding to the Call of God.
3. WHY DO WE NEED MANIFESTATIONS? WHY NOT JUST HAVE GOD TEACH US?
In this world, the sun is the source of all warmth and light, without which life would not exist on the planet. Yet the sun itself does not descend to Earth, and if we tried to approach it, we would be consumed. God sends His Manifestations like the sun sends rays of light to pure mirrors. The Manifestations of God are like perfect Mirrors that reflect the Light of God in all its Splendor. And all these Mirrors reflect the same Light. We can learn about God from these pure mirrors, The Manifestations of God.
4. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD AND THEIR PROMISE OF PEACE TO THE WORLD?
While God is beyond our reach, these perfect Beings come to us from time to time, live among us, guide us, and fill us with the energy we need to progress, materially, and spiritually. We have had many Manifestations in the past and will have them in the future. God does not leave us without guidance The way God’s love flows to us is through His Eternal Covenant. According to this Eternal Covenant, God never leaves us alone and without guidance. Whenever humanity moves away from Him and forgets His Teachings, a Manifestation of God appears and makes His Will and Purpose known to us. Each Manifestation of God is moving us closer to Universal Peace.
The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation.
(The Kitáb-i-Aqdas)
PRAYER
To know God and to worship Him is the very purpose of our lives. The lessons in this grade seek to strengthen our understanding that God’s Manifestations are the source of all good and that by knowing them we can attain the knowledge of God and draw ever closer to our Creator. As you can see, each phrase of the prayer expresses the yearning of the human soul to be close to God. During the several weeks, you will be going through this set, then, you should try to grasp the meaning of these expressions—His face as the object of our adoration, His beauty as our sanctuary, and so on.
SEND A POSTCARD
O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my sanctuary, Whose habitation is my goal, Whose praise is my hope, Whose providence is my companion, Whose love is the cause of my being, Whose mention is my solace, Whose nearness is my desire, Whose presence is my dearest wish and highest aspiration, I entreat Thee not to withhold from me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy servants. Supply me, then, with the good of this world and of the next.Thou, truly, art the King of all men. There is no God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
Bahá’u’lláh
QUOTE
Bahá’u’lláh tells us about the Manifestations of God. He explains to us that the Manifestations of God reflect nothing but God’s attributes.
These Prophets and chosen Ones of God are the recipients and revealers of all the unchangeable attributes and names of God. They are the mirrors that truly and faithfully reflect the light of God
Kitáb-i-Íqán Bahá’u’lláh
SONG
STORY
- STORY 1
- STORY 2
- STORY 3
- STORY 4
- STORY 5
You know that every Manifestation of God exhorts us to be truthful and honest. We are to be fair and just in all of our dealings with one another; the Manifestations of God themselves reflect these qualities to the utmost perfection in what they do and what they say.
Even before He declared His Mission, the Báb had become widely known for His undeviating fairness. At the age of around fifteen, he left His home in Shíráz and joined His uncle in business in Búshihr. His uncle was a merchant, and the Báb soon took over the complete management of the trading house in Búshihr. Often those who were closely associated with Him in those days testified to the purity of His character, to the charm of His manners, and to His high integrity. A certain man once gave Him some goods to sell on his behalf. When the man received the funds for the goods, he was surprised to find that the sum was much greater than what he had expected. He immediately wrote to the Báb, requesting Him to explain the reason and offering to return some of the amount. But the Báb refused to accept it! “What I have sent you is entirely your due,” the Báb replied. You see, there had been a time when the price of the goods had been higher than what the Báb had finally sold them for. So, the Báb, setting the highest standard of honesty and justice, had added some of His own money and sent the man the amount he would have received if the goods had been sold at the peak price. Although He always acted generously towards all those with whom He had dealings, the Báb refused to do something that would perpetuate dishonesty. Several years later, when He was in Chihríq, His followers bought some honey for Him, but He found the quality inferior and the price too high. He told them to return it, saying that they could surely purchase better quality honey at a lower price. “I who am your example have been a merchant by profession,” He said. “It behooves you in all your transactions to follow in My way. You must neither defraud your neighbor nor allow him to defraud you.”
Forgiveness is an attribute of God, and just as God is patient and merciful with each one of us, we are to forgive one another and overlook the faults of others. In the lives of God’s Manifestations, we see how they looked upon all with the eyes of forgiveness, even those who were cruel and unkind to them.
Not long after the Báb declared His Mission, He set out on pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina with His companion Quddús. In another lesson, when we study the life of the Báb, we will learn about this pilgrimage. For now, you need to know that He and Quddús embarked on a vessel that took about two months to reach its destination. Also on board the vessel were two brothers from Shíráz. One of them was captivated by the charm and the sublime bearing of the Báb. The other brother, however, was extremely jealous of the Báb because He was treated with such respect by all those who met Him. Day by day this man became more arrogant and rude, not only towards the Báb but towards other passengers as well. At one point the captain of the vessel became so angry that he ordered the man to be seized and thrown into the sea. The Báb stepped forward and encouraged the captain to be patient. But the captain was beside himself and determined to get rid of the troublesome passenger. When the Báb noticed that the sailors were actually about to throw him overboard, He caught hold of him and earnestly requested the captain to pardon the wrongdoer. The captain was astonished. It was, after all, the Báb Who had suffered the most from the cruelty of this rude man. Yet The Báb explained that, since people who behaved in such a manner harmed only themselves, one should be tolerant and forgiving towards them.
Get the worksheet for story 2
Bahá’u’lláh was the essence of kindness. In even the smallest of gestures, He reflected the infinite love that God has for every one of His creatures. Perhaps you know that, in the later years of Bahá’u’lláh’s life, His beloved Son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá rented the Mansion of Bahjí for His Father.
Now, every Friday the believers would gather there to attain the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. They would stay all day, using the lower rooms of the house, while Bahá’u’lláh’s family occupied the upper floor. One of the believers, only a boy of four or five at the time, had a very special encounter there, indeed. At noon, when all the grown-ups were resting during the midday heat, he happened to wander off by himself, making his way to the upper floor of the Mansion, where he entered a large hall. Ambling about, he eventually came to a room in which food was stored. What do you think he saw there? A bag filled with sugar cubes. Without thinking, he took a few and put them in his mouth. Then he took some more and left the storeroom. Back in the hall, he suddenly froze in his tracks. There was Bahá’u’lláh pacing back and forth. He slowly approached the little boy and looked at his hands. And how do you think He treated this boy who had done something naughty? He led the boy towards a large table in the middle of the hall, picked up a plate of candies, and offered him one. “It seems you like sweets,” Bahá’u’lláh said. “Enjoy! Goodbye. And may God protect you.”
In this world where there is so much corruption and greed, where so many people want to take all for themselves, the Manifestations of God have come to establish justice. Justice is most pleasing in the sight of God, and His Manifestations tell us that we should not take what rightfully belongs to others.
Even as a youth, Bahá’u’lláh displayed unmatched courage in standing up for what was right. At that time in Persia, taxes were not regulated by law according to each person’s earnings. Corrupt officials, princes and, sometimes, even the king took advantage of people and forced them to pay more than what was fair. Now, one such tax collector, who did not walk in the ways of honesty and justice, came to see Bahá’u’lláh’s father and demanded that he pay a certain amount. The first time this happened, His father paid the official without any protest. But then the tax collector came back a second time, asking for more money, and a third time, asking for still more. Bahá’u’lláh carefully observed the situation and decided to do something about the unfair behavior of the tax collector. Although he was very young, He rode His horse for two days until He arrived at the capital city, Ṭihrán. There, he went to see the highest officials in the court and presented His father’s case. His presentation was so convincing, His words and arguments so eloquent, that an order was issued to dismiss the unjust tax collector. Everyone was astonished by the fact that, at such a tender age, Bahá’u’lláh was already so tireless a champion of justice.
All the believers who lived while Bahá’u’lláh walked on this earth yearned to meet Him. And there are so many accounts of those who were fortunate enough to enter His presence. One such person has related the following: “The very first time I was privileged to attain the presence of the Blessed Beauty, He was residing in ‘Akká. I was overcome by excitement and timidity when an attendant directed me to enter. At that moment I heard the voice of Bahá’u’lláh bidding me to come. With a profound sense of humility, I went into His presence; after expressing my utter servitude at His threshold, I seated myself. At His request, I was served tea. He then recited some of the sacred writings, after which He stated: ‘Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, that from your behavior and conduct they may be enabled to recognize the signs and commandments of God.’”
COOPERATIVE GAMES
STORM OF KINDNESS
Explain that kids will make a “rainstorm” of kindness. Being kind is contagious (ask them what contagious means). It may start off with one small act of kindness, but soon that one act with spread to someone else, and so on and so on. It will lead to other acts of kindness, and when those all get added together, they create an amazing “storm” of kindness.
Have kids stand in a circle. Tell them to each do what the teacher does when he/she looks at them and nods. Don’t do it until the teacher looks and nods. Starting at one spot in the circle, the teachers will have the children:
- Rub hands together (sounds like rain starting to drizzle)
- Snap (or slap backs of hands, alternating) (bigger drops)
- Clap out of rhythm (even bigger)
- Slap thighs (heavy rain)
- Stomp feet (very heavy rain/thunder)
- Then reverse steps, slapping thighs, then clapping, then snapping, then rubbing hands.
NARRATION
The narration of stories from the annals of the Faith is a wonderful aspect of the culture of the Bahá’í community.
No doubt, a number of the children in the class will be ready to begin to develop the skills required, and the vignettes in this set may serve as a starting point for them. With loving assistance, the children should be able to advance in their ability to narrate a simple story, which they can then strengthen as they grow.
CRAFTS
BASED ON “PERFECT MIRRORS”
Objective: To illustrate the concept that God’s manifestations are like perfect mirrors reflecting God’s attributes through a creative and reflective craft.
Materials:
- Small mirrors (available at craft stores or dollar stores)
- Craft foam sheets or colored paper
- Markers or colored pencils
- Glue
- Scissors
- Self-adhesive gems or stickers (optional)
Procedure:
- Start by discussing the concept with the children, explaining that the mirrors will represent God’s manifestations reflecting His attributes like perfect mirrors.
- Provide each child with a small mirror. If the mirrors don’t have protective edges, consider adding a layer of craft foam or colored paper around the edges to make them safer and more visually appealing.
- Instruct the children to cut out shapes from craft foam or colored paper to decorate around the mirror. These shapes can represent different virtues or attributes of God.
- Encourage the children to use markers or colored pencils to draw symbols, words, or images that represent qualities such as love, kindness, compassion, wisdom, etc., on the craft foam or colored paper.
- Assist the children in gluing their decorated shapes around the edges of the mirrors.
- Optionally, add self-adhesive gems or stickers to enhance the overall design.
- Allow the craft to dry completely.
- Discuss the completed mirrors as a group, emphasizing how each decorated element reflects a different attribute of God.
- Have the children take turns sharing which virtues they chose to represent on their mirrors and why.
- Display the mirrors in a communal area, creating a collective representation of God’s manifestations reflecting His attributes through the creative expressions of the children.
This craft not only reinforces the concept of God’s manifestations but also allows children to engage in a hands-on, artistic activity that encourages reflection on virtues and qualities associated with the divine.
BASED ON THE THEME OF SEARCH
Make an I SPY bottle.
Materials
- bottle
- filler like rice, sand, etc I use small styrofoam balls from the dollar store
- funnel
- items to symbolize search in some way. I got creative. here are some of mine:
- heart – need a pure heart
- googly eyes – as you have to look when you search
- stone – leave no stone unturned
- Paperclip – to hold all your notes together
- Rubberband – need to be flexible in our outlook and keep an open mind
- Penny – you will need funds as you travel far’
- Screw – you may need to build things along the way
- file- for the fingernails that may get broken
- the word friend – for all the friends you will make along the way
- gem – all the hidden gems in you and in others that will be found
- bike – you will need transportation
- magnet – to attract the hearts
- Banner with Bahá’u’lláh’s name to raise up.
as you put each item in, say what it stands for. Close the lid and hot glue (if you think it may get opened and spill. Write a tag with all the items to be found.
BASED ON STORY ONE
Make A Card
Truthfulness and Honesty. Make the card and send it to a friend. Or make this and include it in your notebook/lapbook.
LAPBOOK
COMING SOON
REVIEW QUOTE
The purpose of God in creating man hath been, and will ever be, to enable him to know his Creator and to attain His Presence.”
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh
I am so excited to prepare three lessons for Summer School using all these wonderful ideas!