(Clearwisdom.net) As Dafa practitioners, we should be in accord with everyday people as much as possible and be good people. Being good people, however, should be based on the basic requirements of Dafa.
What everyday people consider to be good is often also good, judged from a Dafa standard. But they do not always agree, especially nowadays when human beings have deviated and their morals have declined.
Naturally, we want to be good people who meet the standards of both everyday people and Dafa. We cultivators should not turn into someone that can reach only the criteria of everyday people but not that of Dafa. If we are considered to be good by Dafa, but not everyday people, we should still aspire to Dafa principles.
For example, in my family, my wife does not cultivate in Dafa. Several years ago, she tried her best to stop me from clarifying the truth. She questioned me more than once, "Dafa advocates 'Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance'. And the first requirement of Dafa is to be a good person. So please be compassionate and be a good person. Don't let our child, relatives, friends, and me feel ashamed." I explained to her many times, "Clarifying the truth is an act of compassion and of being a good person. On the contrary, staying at home and doing nothing is selfishness. If I could rescue people from a calamity, but I did nothing, how could you say that I was good?" I told her to relax. As long as I can keep righteous thoughts and deeds, there would not be any security problem.
Afterwards, no matter how many relatives my wife called on to persuade me, I would not listen to them. After failing to hold me back, she tried her best to give me more household work to keep me occupied. She claimed that a Dafa practitioner should be tolerant and endure hardship, and so I should do more household chores. I told her frankly, "If you are too tired after work, or if you are sick, I can do more housework. If I do more housework, and you watch TV, go shopping, or spend time chatting, I will not agree. More importantly, my mission in this world is to assimilate Dafa and validate Dafa. I must spend as much time as possible studying the Fa and saving sentient beings."
When at work, I follow the requirements of Dafa. I take having a noble character, getting along with people, and doing an excellent job as the standard of a good person. As for excessive extra work apart from normal duties, I do not treat this as an issue of being a good person, and I try to make sure that it is not interference. If that work has resulted from an accident or unusual circumstance, I will do my best to fulfill it. But for endless extra work, I will decline. I cannot be consumed by extra work which interferes with my ability to do Dafa work. One time, my boss asked me to participate in a different project while I was very busy, and I declined.
In addition, striving to benefit family members and staff members in the work unit will win their admiration. Otherwise, one will be criticized as being old-fashioned and incompetent. However, catering to family members and colleagues obviously is not in accord with Dafa, therefore, we cultivators should avoid doing so.
The above is just my understanding. I would appreciate fellow practitioners pointing out my shortcomings.
