True messengers
"The true teacher and the true student can often go unnoticed because there is so much noise being made by those who are proclaiming themselves only." [1]
"There are so many people claiming to be spiritual emissaries, that when the real one appears, they go unnoticed because they are quiet, because they are not loud and brash and indiscreet. They may not gain much attention, for all the attention is being gathered by those who beat their own drum and who proclaim themselves proudly, with great conviction." [1]
"You can tell because of the content of their message." [1]
Rare
"God’s Messages are rare, as We have said. They are not given frequently. They are never given to the ambitious and they are never given to those who would assign themselves splendid roles." [1]
"There are not many of them. Everyone else is chosen or appointed to support the Message. It is not necessary for God to communicate profound Messages to humanity very often. This is a very serious thing. It does not happen that often." [1]
Reluctant
"You can tell because of the humility of their approach. And you can tell if this is a false humility or if it is really genuine." [1]
"They will be very reluctant to make a proclamation of who and what they really are. They will go unnoticed amidst all of the noise, all of the wild statements that people make about themselves and their teachings and their messages. And the real student will have to be very, very patient in finding the real teacher because the real teachers are rare. They are in the recesses of the world and are not out proclaiming themselves and their special gifts and dispensations." [1]
"The true Messengers are never adamant about themselves. They never claim special gifts and powers for themselves. Even their own genuine appointment, if they have to talk about it, they will do so rather reluctantly." [1]
True Messenger
"It takes one person to bring the Message. It takes many to implement the Message, to substantiate the Message and to demonstrate the Message. This is for everyone else. They have in many ways an easier task, a happier task, though this task has its great challenges as well." [1]
"Consider the story of Jesus. Yes he gained great attention, but who were his true allies? Who remained true to him throughout his career? Who put themselves at risk to be his representatives and his witnesses? The ambitious? The self-seeking? Those who were immersed in their spiritual pride, who claimed unique and special powers and gifts for themselves?"[1]
True Message
"Look at the content of their message. Is it about them and their abilities? Or is it about something really greater than them? Does their message emphasize their uniqueness or does it speak about greater things? Is their message really new and revolutionary, or is it simply a restatement of what so many others have claimed?" [1]
References
Further Study
Discerning False Messengers (March 21, 2000)