Article December 27, 1919 Issue

Service

DAISY BEDFORD

At the present moment when the question of service is engaging the thought of the whole world, a small incident which occurred to a student of Christian Science in this connection may be helpful. The student in question had been from home for some time and was greeted on her return with the information that one whom she had known for a number of years and who had but recently become a member of her household, had had a position offered to her which from every human standpoint appeared to possess much greater advantages than the post she was then filling. Her only reason for not accepting it had been the fact that her employer was away and it did not seem right to contemplate any change during her absence. Both knew that in Christian Science, Principle, not person, must govern the action of each of its ideas, and after some thought and discussion of the whole subject, the following points came to light: That as both were students of Christian Science, both acknowledged in their daily work that the thoughts, actions, and desires of God's children are governed by divine Principle. The one who had recently become a member of the household had done so according to her highest understanding of Truth, and the post had been offered her as the result of faithful work. She could only hold that position, therefore, so long as it was right for her to do so. To remain after God had pointed out other work would be wrong and would bless neither herself nor her employer. To change her work, however, without divine guidance would likewise bless neither herself nor others. Looked at in this way, a clearer vision that there is only one employer, divine Principle, Love, dawned in thought, and a little further discussion brought to light the fact that the post offered was one which would bring the individual into close touch with the laws of materia medica, and therefore one which no honest student of Christian Science could conscientiously accept.

This little incident brought a wonderful sense of loving cooperation and unity to both students; a deeper, clearer understanding that all of God, infinite good, is shared by His children; that no one idea can monopolize that which is the heritage of all; that loving service is the performance of the Biblical injunction to "love thy neighbour as thyself." Labor in its truest, highest sense is ever the "palm of noble minds," and as such the privilege of all, not to be monopolized by one class of society. The employer enjoys it in common with those who may be known as his employees. As Paul puts it so beautifully in the twelfth chapter of I Corinthians, according to one translator: "Now there are ... various forms of official service, and yet one and the same Lord; diversities in work, and yet one and the same God—He who in each person brings about the whole result." Then he goes on to say in the last verse of the chapter, "And now I will point out to you a way of life which transcends all others;" and in the first verse of the fourteenth chapter, "Be eager in your pursuit of love."

Service, the act of serving, then, is really bringing into the human experience order out of chaos, the law of harmony where discord before governed, the action of a higher understanding of good upon that which does not conform to the standard of good. When each individual learns to rejoice in the work of his hands, he will learn that in serving others he is serving himself more completely than he ever can another.

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