Efforts Are Never Wasted

When clarifying the truth meets with resistance or stubbornness, Dafa practitioners may easily get upset by ordinary people's bad attitudes and thus feel discouraged or even depressed. Occasionally I have experienced this too. Many times while giving out DVDs of the Divine Performing Arts or clarifying the facts about Dafa to someone, the intended recipient would say something offensive to me. I believe this was due to ordinary people's fear and/or reluctance to believe. Obviously out of sincere enthusiasm and kind consideration for him, I risked my own safety to talk about a subject forbidden in China. He not only refused to listen but he displayed an ugly attitude. At times like that I felt sad and discouraged. Then two incidents happened that touched me to the bottom of my heart and changed my state of mind, as I will explain below.

Last year I was clarifying the facts on the Internet to a former classmate. As soon as I started to ask her about withdrawing from CCP (Chinese communist party) --before I even finished my sentence-- she immediately asked, "Are you asking me to withdraw from the Communist Youth Organization?" I was very surprised and simply answered, "Yes." I had no idea what she would say next. I only remembered her being straightforward and quiet during our school days, although we had not been close friends. Then she typed out, "Please help me do that." She followed this request by describing a previous experience of being told about the Three Withdrawals (withdrawing from the CCP and its organisations) at a nearby shop. After she quit, she thanked me sincerely for my help. At that moment I was moved and happy for her awakened life as well as being grateful to her. I then understood that the previous efforts of fellow practitioners had not been wasted. I just wondered how the practitioner, who had failed to convince her, had felt. Now I believe that, if we do what we do with a compassionate heart, none of our efforts will be wasted. Perhaps the person has misgivings or is reluctant to let a total stranger help her or him. Or maybe the person needs more time to think it over. After the first introduction, the person may need time to understand it deeper; and then, when a second practitioner talks to the person, he or she will be willing to take the advice.

One of my relatives is a similar case. At the start of the persecution, I had told her that Falun Gong was good. Then she heard lots more from her co-worker and perhaps also read some related information. Finally she called to let me help her and her whole family quit the CCP. Ordinary people may have concerns, so they may not let co-workers help them with the Three Withdrawals. But all those previous efforts had not been in vain.

Sometimes I have dealt with very stubborn people. Many times they rejected what I had to say, and they began to simply ignore me. However, I was determined not to give up on them. As long as there is any opportunity, I still chat with them. Even if they do not take any action, next time it will be easier for his relative or friend to persuade them to do the Three Withdrawals. As long as they are willing to befriend you, there exists the possibility of idea-exchange; therefore, we should not give up. I believe that, with compassion and sincerity, we can change people's attitudes.

Fellow practitioners, please help correct me if something is not appropriate.