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As outlined in the previous article, "The Path of Second and Third Generations [1]," second-generation followers, third-generation followers, and so forth are expected to savor deeper joy of faith and attain a higher level of spiritual growth than their predecessors could. Such is the role and mission of those who inherit faith from their forebears. At the same time, however, we cannot deny that there may be a certain lack of maturity on the part of those who are not first-generation followers. This is an important consideration, particularly for those who, as a result of inheriting faith from their parents and grandparents, find themselves in a position to provide guidance and care for others. From the perspective of our own individual spiritual quest, it may be sufficient to give full commitment and effort to achieving a deeper joy of faith, but in reality we are surrounded by many people and have various interpersonal relationships in which we are given roles and positions that may give rise to many issues we need to address. In the case of those whose parents have devoted themselves exclusively to spreading the teachings, when they inherit their parents' faith, they may also inherit the work of guiding and nurturing other people--a task that requires an exceptionally strong conviction of faith. Let us consider how this point applies to future successors to the position of church head minister. To begin with, there is no rule that says the head minister of a church is a hereditary position. In fact, the following Divine Direction--which, although not directly concerned with the issue of a church head minister, is worth quoting--tells us:From a worldly common viewpoint, you are the household head. In the path of single-heartedness with God, however, only those who have actually built virtue have the truth that makes them worthy of such a position. Osashizu, August 3, 1895 Still, a church head minister's son or daughter could be nominated as successor after repeated discussions taking into consideration various factors, including the causality and God the Parent's intention that enabled him or her to be born as the head minister's child, the sense of adoration people may feel toward the family of the head minister to whom they are indebted, and the surrounding circumstances--such may turn out to be the most natural pattern of succession and, in fact, it happens to be the most common pattern as well. To succeed to the position of church head minister--who should serve as the core or leader of a church--is to become a spiritual parent of the followers belonging to that church and to be entrusted with the role of guiding them, even though some of them may be many years his or her senior in terms of their journey of faith and life experience. The most important thing for head ministers to do, in this regard, is to make conscious personal efforts to seek God's parental love, follow the Divine Model of Oyasama, reflect critically upon their own use of the mind, and be thoroughly committed to single-hearted salvation in accordance with God the Parent's intention. They must not become arrogant, saying "I am a church head minister!" Rather, they should always keep their mind as humble as possible while devoting themselves to sincerity alone by receiving the truth of the Parent. Even though they may not yet be in a mature state, Oyasama will work in accord with the sincerity they exert, and they will be blessed with the fruit of spiritual growth beyond their age or experience--to which people's minds will then be attracted. Successors need not emphasize their rights or obligations. Instead, what they should do is to awaken to the realization of their own causality and to thoroughly and wholeheartedly seek the path so as to fulfill the mission given to them. |
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