RUMI
Jesus, upon whom be peace, laughed a lot. John the Baptist, upon whom be peace, wept a lot. John said to Jesus, “You have become mighty secure from God’s subtle traps to laugh so much.”
“You,” replied Jesus, “have become mighty heedless of God’s subtle and mysterious grace and loving-kindness to weep so much!”
One of God’s saints, who was present at this moment, asked God which of the two was of the more exalted station. God answered, “The one who thinks better of me,” that is, “Within my servants conception of me, I am there. Each of My servants has an image or idea of Me. Whatever each of them imagines Me to be, that I am. I am the servant to images within which God lives; I care nothing for any reality where God does not dwell. O My servants, cleanse your thoughts, for they are My dwelling places.”
Fihi ma Fihi: Discourse 10, translated by Kabir and Camille Helminski, The Rumi Daybook