Don’t you love how a good story has staying power? Whether true or fiction, I regularly find myself moved to tears by stories that take my breath away.

And my kids absolutely love stories. I’m amazed at the stories my children have tucked away in their hearts and minds and still recall years later. Magical.

We use powerful stories in the Virtues Tree fun. In our family’s Virtues Tree 2.0 fun, I’m drawing on the story we use in our Virtues Classes from the Ruhi curriculum.These stories are sometimes from Baha’i history and sometimes classics from Aesop’s fables. You can also use stories from the Bible, Quran, or another source – go for it!

And I’m also keeping an eye out for stories from our book shelves and the library that will reinforce the virtue in context. I share a suggestion at the end of this post and would love to hear yours too!

‘Abdu’l-Baha and the Lady with the Glass of Water

In our children’s Virtues Class, my oldest son told what I call the story of ‘Abdu’l-Baha and the Lady with the Glass of Water. Here it is:

Abdu’l-Baha could always tell what was in a person’s heart, and He greatly loved people whose hearts were pure and radiant. There was a lady who had the honor of being the guest of ‘Abdu’l-Baha at dinner.  As she sat listening to His words of wisdom, she looked at a glass of water in front of her and thought, “Oh! If only ‘Abdu’l-Baha would take my heart and empty it of every earthly desire and then refill it with Divine love and understanding, just as you would do with this glass of water.

This though passed through her mind quickly, and she did not say anything about it, but soon something happened that made her realize ‘Abdu’l-Baha had known what she was thinking.  While He was in the middle of His talk, He paused to call a servant and said a few words to him in Persian.  The servant quietly came to the lady’s place at the table, took her glass, emptied it, and put it back in front of her.

A little later, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, while continuing to talk, picked up a pitcher of water from the table, and in a most natural way, slowly filled the lady’s empty glass.  No one noticed what happened, but eh lady knew that ‘Abdu’l-Baha was answering her heart’s desire.  She was filled with joy.  Now she knew that hearts were like open books to ‘Abdu’l-Baha, Who read them with great love and kindliness.

– From Ruhi lessons for Grade 1, lesson 1

As my oldest son shared this simple story, the kids sat spellbound with the powerful image of the glass of water being emptied and refilled demonstrated before their eyes.

Serving as my son’s assistant, I placed a glass of water in the middle of the circle of children. At the right moments in the story, I poured the water out into a bowl and then refilled it from a pitcher. I did not act as I was any one person in the story, but rather the focus was on the actions – the glass of water being emptied and then refilled.

Whether you first share this story with just your family or with others as well, do it again. Reread it with your children until they can tell it to you, act it out to some degree, and/or use their stuffed animals/dolls/puppets to act it out.

Since we are not to actually portray any of the Central Figures of the Baha’i Faith in plays, there are creative ways to still tell a story like this. If you have a favorite way to do this or that you’ve seen this done, please share it in the comments below!

Baha’u’llah and Shaykh Mahmud

I’m so excited to share with you another Pure Heart story that the kids and I read together from Baha’i history. It’s from The Incomparable Friend: Stories from the Life of Baha’u’llah, pages 145-46.

This book is precious. Gripping stories by Sharon Sabri and gorgeous paintings by Sue Podger. Can’t recommend it highly enough. If you don’t have it, try to find one somewhere, as I understand it’s sadly out of print. And write to the publisher to ask for them to reprint it.

Ok, so here’s my version since I don’t know if I can share it verbatim here:

When Baha’u’llah was unjustly imprisoned by the Ottoman Empire in Akka, a visitor came to see Him one day. He was a devout Muslim named Shaykh Mahmud, a local man who was so upset that this seeming “enemy of Islam” was in his city that, without telling anyone, he had come to the prison that day, determined to take Baha’u’llah’s life.

The Shaykh stood at the door to the prison, with a dagger hidden in his cloak. Since he was an religious leader, the guards went to Baha’u’llah to announce his visitor. But Baha’u’llah refused to see him. The guards conveyed His message:

“You should throw away your weapon, and then you can come in.”

The Shaykh was shocked. No one could have known he had a weapon. It was completely concealed. He went back home, foiled.

A few days later, Shaykh Mahmud thought of a work-around. He returned to the prison, determined to kill Baha’u’llah with his own hands.

Again, Baha’u’llah refused to see His visitor. He sent the guards back with this message:

“You must purify your heart, and then you can come in.”

Shaykh Mahmud was astounded. How could He have known my thoughts, he surely wondered. He immediately returned home, confused.

That night, he had a clarifying dream. In it he was visited by the old man who had told him as a child that he would grow up one day to meet the Promised One.

The dream transformed him. He released his anger and hatred to restore his Pure Heart.

He returned to try to see Baha’u’llah in the barracks once more. But this time, he was a changed man. He carried no weapon or thought of malice. Just a Pure Heart.

The guards told Baha’u’llah the Shaykh had come a third time and were immediately instructed to admit him. Shaykh Ahmad entered the presence of Baha’u’llah. He fell down at the Blessed Beauty’s feet and was embraced by His Love, devoting the rest of his life to service to the Baha’i Faith.

Wow. I just love that story!! And so do my weapon-obsessed boys. Hahahaha.

But seriously, check out the story in the book if you can get your hands on it. It’s so moving!

Picture Books

I love to stretch our Virtues Tree fun by snuggling on the couch with my sweet children to devour relevant picture books. When I think of pictures books that feature a Pure Heart, I first think – The Empty Pot by Demi.

The main character Ping represents a Pure Heart in such a refreshing way. He is the sole child in the kingdom who does what the Emperor asks in his quest to find the next ruler. But Ping’s efforts result in seeming failure. Nonetheless, he shows up to report his progress to the Emperor. In Ping, the Emperor discovers the purest heart in His Kingdom. And that’s how Ping is found worthy of being raised to lead his people.

Beautiful. And easy to find at the library or on Amazon. Read it!

What are some of your favorite stories or picture books about a Pure Heart? How have stories touched your kids’ Pure Hearts?