Article July 28, 1923 Issue

An Everyday Lesson

JANET H. BIBB

In a certain place there lay a fallow field. Whatever dropped into the fertile soil took root and flourished. Men paused to wonder at its richness. Children played beneath the beech tree, where a stream flowed by. An artist painted the lovely place, with cloud-shadows and sunshine drifting across; and those who loitered along its pleasant paths plucked the wild fruit, and dreamed idly of things the rich field promised. Each used it in his own way; but none tilled it, and it brought forth no harvest. At this time one with greater vision bought the field for a goodly price. With blade and plow, with harrow and drill, he prepared the for sowing. He left the beech tree for the children and hedgerows for the birds; but of all the brambles he left not one. When the good grain was sowed, he left the field alone; and although the rains and winds and snows came upon it, he knew that all was well with his field, and no doubt ever occurred to him as to the final result. The next winter he had grain to feed the hungry birds, and bread to break with his neighbors. And there were many who sowed their own field with the good grain bought from his.

Now the name of this field is individual opportunity, and it lies fallow before each one of us; for it is only the field of our own thought, our inheritance, and we may "go up... and possess it" whenever we will. Its price is right mental activity, a goodly price, but fair for such a field. With the blade of intelligence and the sharp plow of endeavor we may clear out the brambles and set the furrows of our thought in order. With the harrow of patience and the drill of obedience we may work the soil over and over; and with the good grain of the thoughts of immortal Truth we may sow it. Then comes the time for us "to wait patiently on God" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 331) while the clouds of doubt and the rains of criticism, the winds of conflicting opinions and the snows of indifference, fall upon our labors, and faith changes each into a blessing.

Mrs. Eddy speaks in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 34) of "the receptive thought;" and it is in this state that we may stand by, loyal to God and untroubled about our harvest. Divine Love gives us the understanding of His law of Life; and under it we work. Mrs. Eddy refers to this law in Science and Health (p. 180) as "the seed within itself bearing fruit after its kind, spoken of in Genesis;" and it is this law, "and not we ourselves," that will bring forth such a blessing that in due time we shall have the bread of Truth to break with others and good seed for those whose own fields are prepared for the sowing.

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