Article February 14, 1920 Issue

The Face of God

INEZ KOCH

In the presence of a child one frequently feels as though treading on holy ground. Before the temple of innocence we remove our shoes,—our material theories dusty with age,—and bring in only the best we have. Human cares and fears are apt to vanish as one gazes into the starlike, trusting child eyes. Thinking of the effect of pure and unbiased thought as expressed by the child, we do well to ponder Jesus' words, "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." The face is generally a good indication of one's thoughts. In the Scriptures the term face is frequently used in the sense of mind or thought, as, for instance, in the fifth psalm, where we read, "Make thy way straight before my face." When Jacob, full of fear at the possible results of his duplicity toward Esau, struggled with his error at the brook Jabbok, it is related that he declared, after perceiving and overcoming his fault, "I have seen God face to face." Beholding the true nature of God, divine Mind, he gained a clearer understanding of his brother as the idea of God, and the result was their reconciliation.

The writer recollects an incident which occurred between two children. The little girl, as the elder of the two, expressed great motherly regard for her small brother, often petting and caressing him. One day the little fellow was evidently in a rebellious mood, for when his sister approached him and proffered a kiss, she received in return an unkind rebuff. A very short time elapsed and the two were seen playing in perfect accord. There was not the slightest remembrance of anything unpleasant having occurred. Love was reflected and divine forgiveness demonstrated without effort. Truly "of such is the kingdom of God."

In business affairs, doubt and fear sometimes seem to be much more in evidence than a childlike trust in good; but there can never be any substantial sense of good business until we behold the face of God in right thinking, or righteousness. Right thinking, which includes honesty, unselfishness, accuracy, and alertness, manifests the divine Mind. By putting such qualities into practice, therefore, we may see the face of God, or Principle. We need not fear dishonesty, cupidity, and false competition in their efforts to ruin or hinder our legitimate business; for we have Biblical assurance in Revelation that the earth and heaven (the material concept) had fled away from the face of Him that sat on the "great white throne," and "there was found no place for them." In showing how to dethrone evil, Mrs. Eddy says in "Unity of Good" (p. 20): "First: God never made evil. Second: He knows it not. Third: We therefore need not fear it."

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