"Give ye them to eat"

How often one is tempted, as a beginner in Christian Science, when asked for help, to be afraid that one's understanding is not sufficient, and to say, "I know so little; what can I do?" In reading the fourteenth chapter of Matthew, where Jesus fed the multitude with five loaves and two fishes, a beautiful lesson was unfolded to me which I would like to pass on, to help some one else, for there seemed in it to me a very clear command from Jesus, not only to his disciples then but to all who are his disciples now: "Give ye them to eat." The disciples were overwhelmed at the multitude, and asked Jesus to send the people away to the villages, the five loaves and two fishes seeming as nothing amongst so many. They were accepting the mortal picture, with all its limitations. How instantaneously Jesus corrected and healed that belief of lack, when he said, "They need not depart; give ye them to eat"! and looking up to heaven, he blessed and brake what food there was, and they did all eat and were filled, and gathered of the fragments twelve basketfuls. If when asked for help, one accepts the mortal picture as the disciples did, seeing only one's lack of food (understanding), he will not be holding up the Christ in consciousness, as Jesus did, neither will he be obeying the divine command, "Give ye them to eat," but will want to send the hungry away, as the disciples did. I remember an incident which occurred when Science had been known to me but a very short time. Down in the country, where Science seemed quite unknown, I was asked by some one who had been suffering a long time from very bad eczema of the hands if Christian Science could heal her, and would I help her? I replied in the affirmative, but how fearful I felt about it she did not know. Returning to London that afternoon in the train, for quite a while I was feeling full of misgivings and fear as to my ability to help her, and such thoughts seemed to run riot as: What if my understanding is not enough! She will not believe in Christian Science! and so on. Then I began to see more as Jesus saw, and said to myself: If God has given me this work to do, He also will supply the understanding. With this comforting thought I looked up to heaven (lifted my thoughts to God) and blessed and brake what truth I had. Then a sense of peace came over me, and the whole thing went out of my thought. The next day a letter arrived, with the news that the hands were healed. I did indeed then "gather up the crumbs" that remained, for the joy and gratitude, confidence and encouragement which that letter brought me would have filled more than twelve baskets.

If, when asked for help, we bless and break what truth we have, although we do so in fear and trembling, God will indeed bless our efforts. As our Leader says on page 323 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," "In order to apprehend more, we must put into practice what we already know. We must recollect that Truth is demonstrable when understood, and that good is not understood until demonstrated. If 'faithful over a few things,' we shall be made rulers over many; but the one unused talent decays and is lost." Even if we are not asked actually for help, we shall take healing wherever we go, if we are alert and awake to keep our "lamp trimmed and burning," always dwelling in the consciousness of good, thereby following the Master's footsteps, having that Mind in us "which was also in Christ Jesus." Then consciously and unconsciously we shall heal our brother man, as our Leader says in her Message for 1900 (p. 8): "The good man imparts knowingly and unknowingly goodness; but the evil man also exhales consciously and unconsciously his evil nature—hence, be careful of your company. As in the floral kingdom odors emit characteristics of tree and flower, a perfume or a poison, so the human character comes forth a blessing or a bane upon individuals and society." A little experience proved to me the truth of these words. When purchasing something needed, the lady serving me looked very depressed and ill. I knew her to be interested in Christian Science; so a little talk on the subject ensued. On going out she remarked, "You do not know what you have done for me this afternoon. I had a splitting headache, and it has now quite gone." My eyes filled with tears of joy, not so much for her healing, as I knew in reality there was nothing to heal, but because I appreciated and realized more fully the meaning of the words that Jesus said once to his disciples, when they had returned from the healing work he had sent them to do: "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." It was joy to know that my brother man had been freed from error, but, greatest joy of all, the divine command had been obeyed, "Give ye them to eat." In sending this article, I am hoping it will encourage some beginner not to be afraid of his "little understanding," but just to "go forward," applying what truth he knows. God will indeed bless his endeavors, and nothing makes one grow so quickly as the prompt application of what is already understood. Mrs. Eddy writes in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 341), "First purify thought, then put thought into words, and words into deeds; and after much slipping and clambering, you will go up the scale of Science to the second rule, and be made ruler over many things."