What would it mean to truly forget yourself — to live beyond praise and blame, beyond comfort and fear? In a world that constantly tells us to protect our image and secure our place, these words from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá invite us to do the opposite. They call us toward selflessness, toward spiritual rebirth, and toward becoming like a candle that burns so others may see.
“Look at me, follow me, be as I am; take no thought for yourselves or your lives, whether ye eat or whether ye sleep, whether ye are comfortable, whether ye are well or ill, whether ye are with friends or foes, whether ye receive praise or blame; for all these things ye must care not at all. Look at me and be as I am; ye must die to yourselves and to the world, so ye shall be born again and enter the kingdom of heaven. Behold the candle, how it gives light. It weeps its life away drop by drop in order to give forth its flame of light.”
— ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í Scriptures, p. 502
1️⃣ “Look at me, follow me, be as I am…”
He is not asking people to copy his personality.
He is pointing to a way of living — a life of:
• Service
• Detachment
• Sacrifice
• Love for humanity
He is saying: do not just listen to teachings — live them.
2️⃣ “Take no thought for yourselves…”
This does not mean neglect your health or be irresponsible.
It means:
• Do not become attached to comfort
• Do not live for the ego
• Do not let praise or blame control you
• Do not let fear, approval, or criticism define your actions
It is about freedom from ego and attachment to worldly concerns.
3️⃣ “Whether ye receive praise or blame…”
This part is very deep.
Most people:
• Feel happy when praised
• Feel hurt when criticized
He is inviting us to live at such a spiritual level that neither praise nor blame changes our path.
This is spiritual maturity.
4️⃣ “Ye must die to yourselves and to the world…”
This is symbolic.
It does not mean physical death.
It means:
• Dying to selfishness
• Dying to pride
• Dying to ego
• Dying to attachment to material identity
And then something beautiful happens:
You are “born again” spiritually.
It is about the transformation of the inner self.
5️⃣ The Candle Metaphor
“Behold the candle…”
A candle:
• Melts away
• Loses itself
• Gives light to others
• Burns quietly
• Does not complain
The candle sacrifices itself to give light.
He is saying:
Be like the candle.
Live in such a way that your life becomes light for others — even if it costs you comfort.
🌿 What Is the Core Message?
This quote speaks about:
• Selflessness
• Spiritual rebirth
• Service to humanity
• Detachment from ego
• Inner transformation
• Living for something higher than oneself
It is not about suffering for the sake of suffering.
It is about choosing a life of purpose instead of a life centered only on the self.
💭 A Deeper Reflection
When he says, “Look at me and be as I am,”
He himself lived:
• In prison
• In exile
• In hardship
Yet he remained joyful, kind, calm, and forgiving.
Perhaps the real message is this:
Become so spiritually grounded that circumstances cannot disturb your peace.
These words continue to challenge me. They remind me that real strength is not found in comfort or recognition, but in quiet sacrifice and sincere service. To “die to the self” is not about losing who we are it is about letting go of ego so something higher can grow within us. Like the candle, perhaps our purpose is not to protect our own flame, but to become light for others. This is a lifelong journey, and I am still learning what it truly means.
The above reflection is my personal understanding of a quotation by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá from Bahá’í Scriptures, p. 502. This interpretation reflects my individual thoughts and is not an official interpretation of Bahá’í teachings.
