Article January 30, 1971 Issue

Don't Chase the Apples!

FRANCES B. ZIMMER

As a legend goes, there was a Greek maiden named Atalanta, who was an uncommonly fast runner. In fact, no one could outrun her; and her hand had been promised in marriage to whoever might race her and win. After many men had raced and lost, one man who had planned his strategy ahead of time came forth. When she passed him, he rolled in front of her one of three golden apples he had. The apple, bright and beautiful, so attracted her attention that she stopped to pick it up, while he continued to run. By the time he had thrown the third golden apple and she had run after it, he had won the race!

As students of Christian Science, we can apply the moral of this story to ourselves. We can see each golden apple as some sort of error, deterring us from our goal of knowing God better, of loving Him and His creation more, of living the truths we love. We can learn to keep right on, steadfastly progressing in our understanding and demonstration of the truths of perfect God and perfect man, His image and likeness, and not be enticed into following after any of the attractions that error, mortal mind, or the devil, tosses out to catch our eye. We can persist in guarding our thoughts and not let anything confuse or distract us.

What are some of the distractions mortal mind uses to deceive us? Such things as doubt, discouragement, fear, lack, grief, apathy, prolonged illness, false theology, self-righteousness, a false sense of pleasure. Often these temptations come to us in the guise of our own thinking. We believe that we are discouraged, doubtful, defeated. But we needn't be fooled into accepting these suggestions as our own thoughts. We can see them for what they are: attempts of mortal mind, or the devil, to detour us and delay our progress.

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