Again, there is undeniable wisdom here. The tendency to construct a self-image based on performing religious acts easily leads to the illusion of self-righteousness. When our sense of self is tied to any particular task—such as serving in a soup kitchen, promoting environmental consciousness, or giving spiritual instruction—we take a functional approach to life; work becomes the central value; we lose touch with the true self and the happy combination of mysterious dignity and pompous dust which we really are.
