Sangat Ji,
On occasion of Vaisakhi, during evening Deewan, Katha Vachak Jee explained one very important and interesting point. The katha was on Aim and Tools Used.
Katha Vachak Jee said, "Aim of majority of sangat is correct. But sangat fail to achieve Aim because tools being used may not be proper". He explained it with a small story as narrated below.
Once a Sikh (I don't remember the name Katha Vachak Jee mentioned but he is great Sikh Scholar) while walking on road found a piece of Coal. He decided to remove the black soot from Coal. Sikh brought the Coal home and washed it with Soap. The Soap turned black and Coal remains unaffected. He then washed Coal with Milk but the result was same as previous. Sikh then Dry Cleaned the Coal but still the Black Soot was not gone.
Then one Gurmukh asked, "Singh Ji what are you trying to do"? Singh Ji explained that he wish to remove Black Soot from Coal. Gurmukh laughed and replied, "Singh Ji your Aim is correct but the Tools being used are wrong". Gurmukh said, "Put the Coal into fire". Singh Ji immediately realized the relation between Aim and Tools Used. On putting Coal into Fire it burned in Amber color and Black Soot was gone.
After narrating above story, Katha Vachak Jee took sangat back to the time of Sri Guru Amar Das Jee. Before attaining Guruship, Guru Amar Das Jee was a very religious Vaishanavite Hindu who spent most of his life performing all of the ritual pilgrimages and fasts of a devout Hindu. The Aim of Sri Guru Amar Das Jee was correct but the tools used were not correct.
One incident happened and this was a turing point in Guru Sahib's life. Guru Jee had done seva of some Vaishanav sadhu. Sadhu got impressed by seva and asked Guru Sahib who is your Guru. Then Guru Sahib said I have no Guru as yet. Vaishanav sadhu got very angry and said he has drink water from the hands of a person who does not have Guru. Sadhu said something like "Mera Dharam Bharast ho gaya". Guru Sahib was astonished and came to know the importance of having Guru.
One day, Guru Sahib Jee heard some hymns of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee being sung by Bibi Amro Jee. Guru Sahib was so impressed and moved by these Shabads that he immediately decided to go to see Sri Guru Angad Dev Sahib Jee at Khadur Sahib.
Aim was already correct from the beginning and after becoming devout Sikh of Sri Guru Angad Dev Jee, now Guru Amar Das Jee had all the correct tools as well for his Aim.
Guru Amar Das Jee used the tools so well for his Aim that Guru Jee himself became our Aim.
Bhul Chuk Maaf.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.