Article August 21, 1926 Issue

"Consider the lilies"

EDITH EMILY MORGAN

Jesus said, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." One meaning of the word "consider" is "to ponder; to examine the subject with a view to truth." This latter definition seems the more applicable to students of Christian Science, who are taught, in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy (p. 123), that "divine Science, rising above physical theories, excludes matter, resolves things into thoughts, and replaces the objects of material sense with spiritual ideas."

Is it not significant that Jesus chose for his illustration, and our consideration, one of the most common flowers in the East? How often the so-called common things in life are overlooked, despised, not thought worthy of any attention! How different with the Master, who found in this flower, which grew in such profusion, inspiration to profit withal! In the East the lily attains a great height, and many flowers spring from one root. Its characteristics are comeliness, sweetness, and beauty—all spiritual qualities of thought. Thus they teach us the necessity of lifting thought above material conditions, whether as person, place, or thing, to the understanding of Spirit and spiritual causation,—the only real,—if we are to attain to these graces.

And may not this be accomplished in the place or environment in which we find ourselves after we have commenced the study of Christian Science? How often do we accept the suggestion that our progress would be much greater and more quickly attained if we were transplanted into more congenial surroundings; or if our occupation were of a more uplifting character; or, again, if we could devote our time entirely to Christian Science work! But would it be so? Perhaps it would be well to recall our Leader's words in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 339): "In the battle of life, good is made more industrious and persistent because of the supposed activity of evil. The elbowing of the crowd plants our feet more firmly." Here she teaches us that the very conditions we deplore may be necessary for our progress, preparing us for the more advanced work we so much desire.

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