Article February 13, 1954 Issue

SPIRITUAL KNOWING REVEALS TRUE IDENTITY

SUZANNE PAULSEN

The understanding of what constitutes spiritual identity is invaluable because it enables us to put off the limitations, inadequacies, and undesirable tendencies imposed by a false sense of identity. We often associate such material considerations as height, weight, race, color, personal idiosyncrasies, and the like with identity. However, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 477), "Identity is the reflection of Spirit, the reflection in multifarious forms of the living Principle, Love." We can see, then, that this spiritual concept of identity is the direct opposite of the generally accepted concept. Since identity is spiritual, it is wholly apart from everything to which material sense testifies.

The illusive action of mortal mind, which claims to be man's identity, can be likened to a masquerade. In other words, mortal thinking, or what the Bible calls the carnal mind, attempts to defraud us by claiming to be our thinking. It does this by coming in the guise of "I." This so-called mind justifies such suggestions as, "I was never any good at mathematics," or, "I have always disliked my neighbor," with human reasons which in themselves often deceive even the most alert. If we are not aware of this, we may believe that evil thoughts and the tendency to justify them originate with us and are a part of our identity. We must be alert to reject this mortal mind thinking as ours and to replace it with the divine knowing which reveals the truth regarding man. As we recognize that divine Mind is the only Mind of man and constitutes all the knowing there is, we become successful in detecting and wiping out any erroneous suggestions claiming to belong to us.

These truths were demonstrated by a young mother who was tempted to express a good deal of impatience toward her small son, a very busy and active little boy. She had given in to this impatience several times, but one day her thought turned to the real meaning of identity. One of Paul's statements came to her thought (II Tim. 2: 24, 25): "The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves."

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