Let’s make it work

Jimmy Broadhouse, who cuts grass for a living, was so pleased with the appearance of the local council’s playing field after he had finished, that he took a photograph of it, and posted it on Twitter. He wrote: “It might only be a council field next to the tip, but, to the kids round here playing football, it’s Wembley. So I always cut it like it is.”

For those who do not live in England, this might require a little explanation. “The tip” is the council refuse site, adjacent to the field. “Kids” are actually children, and “Wembley” is shorthand for the Wembley Stadium, which belongs to the Football Association and is the home of the England national football team. The message suggests that, for the sake of the local children, who play their own football (“soccer”) on this field, he tries to mow the grass to the perfection required of the most prestigious pitch in the country.

The tweet has been seen over a million times, and was the cause of Mr Broadhouse being invited to help prepare the pitch at the Wembley Stadium for a special match between the famous teams of Liverpool and Manchester City. But it is the spirit behind Mr Broadhouse’s remark that has captured most attention. In my last blog post (“I am from the Windows company…”), I stressed the importance of people entering into their work in a spirit of service to other people. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, explaining the Bahá’í view of work, stated that: “In the Bahá’í Cause, arts, sciences and all crafts are counted as worship. The man who makes a piece of note-paper to the best of his ability, conscientiously, concentrating all his forces on perfecting it, is giving praise to God.” He continues: “Briefly, all effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship, if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity.” The same principle obviously also applies to cutting grass, and Mr Broadhouse has definitely shown that spirit of service.

Society is composed of millions of individuals each contributing something to the benefit of mankind, and even to other creatures and to plants. Doing that work in a spirit of dedication and service, like Mr Broadhouse, should raise the quality of what is done, bringing clearer benefit to all. Mowing a field of grass is a time-consuming occupation, and with the wrong attitude could seem tiresome and repetitive. Jimmy Broadhouse obviously does not allow such negative thoughts into his mind as he works up and down the field. On the contrary, he takes a pride in his work.

In other, related, teachings, Bahá’u’lláh calls for us to abolish class distinctions and urges every member of society to work. Idleness is not good for anyone. Like Mr Broadhouse, all must put some effort into the community, rather than thinking they can just take from the community: “It is enjoined upon every one of you to engage in some form of occupation, such as crafts, trades and the like. We have… exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship unto God…” (Bahá’u’lláh)

 In addition, the elimination of the extremes of both poverty and wealth is a basic Bahá’í principle. Bahá’u’lláh proposed a “storehouse” system to provide for those who cannot work. Among the specific Bahá’í teachings designed to facilitate the continual redistribution of wealth is the idea of (genuine) profit-sharing within a company. Bahá’u’lláh’s Son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, explained: “…laws and regulations should be enacted which would grant the workers both a daily wage and a share in a fourth or fifth of the profits of the factory… or (a) share in some other way in the profits with the owners.” By directly linking the income of the workers to the profits of the enterprise, more commitment to its success could be expected, and again, a greater quality of dedication should be engendered.

Underlying all these measures is a belief that spiritual values should be given more prominence. As the Bahá’í Writings put it: “The secrets of the whole economic question are Divine in nature, and are concerned with the world of the heart and spirit.” An artist, a sculptor or a musician puts their heart and spirit into their work. So should the builder, the shop assistant, the office worker and the man who mows the council field.

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In April, 2016, I posted a blog (“There *is* a better way) which explains the Storehouse system:
https://paddyvickers.blogspot.com/2016/04/