Overcoming Poverty
The problem of supply occupies a great deal of human thought and conversation, and seems to affect many a one's peace and happiness, yes, even health, until it is solved through the comforting light which the study of Christian Science throws upon it. This study turns us unreservedly to God, Spirit, as the source of all true substance, and reveals to us that "it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves," and that He cares for, provides for, sustains, and perpetuates that which He has made. We must watch, therefore, that we look not, primarily, to any person, business, or human circumstance to supply our needs, but always directly to God, who will provide the proper ways whereby these needs will be met, and through which the good that He has prepared for all of His creation will become available.
God has made us all equal: He "is no respecter of persons," as the Scripture says; and our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, points out in her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 13 ), that "Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals." All, therefore, as His beloved children, are equally blessed, and share equally in His beneficence. It is only human opinion, false theology, ignorance, error, and fear that would make it seem otherwise. We should not, then, feel ashamed if, as the saying goes, we have seemingly been born poor. We are not responsible for conditions which we did not make, but we are responsible for what we make of these conditions. Multitudes have started out in this world with but a bare subsistence, and it is observable on every hand that many have not progressed very far beyond this state. It is cheering, however, to learn of those who, through claiming the good that God has prepared for them that love Him, have risen above adverse circumstances and handicaps.
Impoverishment, then, is primarily a mental condition, and may be attributed to many seeming causes. Occasionally it is the latent, almost undefined belief that to be considered poor is to find grace in God's sight, a belief that poverty enhances spirituality! There may also be a sense of lack resulting from prolonged illness. The habit of arguing for poverty, instead of against it, likewise contributes to this state, as do slothfulness and apathy. Furthermore, fear of reaching out after better and lovelier things, lack of wisdom, lack of fidelity and foresight, lack of gratitude, lack of love—these states of thought all play their part in prolonging the sense of poverty; but they all can be and are being overcome through the study and application of the rules of Christian Science.
Now let us look at these seeming causes of poverty in the light of the spiritual understanding which Christian Science gives, and see what becomes of them. Take the belief that poverty and righteousness are inseparable: the Master did not say that a rich man could not enter the kingdom of heaven, although it probably is more difficult for "them that trust in riches." Jesus never implied that there is any special virtue in poverty: he himself had everything he needed. While it may be true that occasionally a sense of lack turns us more unreservedly to the contemplation of spiritual substance, it often tends to breed discontent, criticism, irritability, and jealousy; whereas abundance, rightly gained and rightly used, may be enjoyed to the glory of God.
Through the inspired writings of our Leader we learn that sickness is not a necessity, because it is neither God-made nor God-sent; and so we go to work to destroy this false claim to which, perhaps, we have long submitted. When it has been mastered, impoverishment from such cause is soon overcome; and then we are ready for a fuller, better life, and more able to go forward in the way of God's appointing. Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
It surely does not glorify our Maker to argue for lack, admitting the claims of the material senses and accepting their testimony as real and unalterable. Let any one who has been in the habit of doing this ponder the multiplying of the loaves and fishes as recorded in the fourteenth and fifteenth chapters of Matthew, and a marvelous lesson may be learned. It will be observed from these accounts that the larger demonstration of supply was made when the smaller number of loaves and fishes were visibly available. This should show us the folly and error of allowing ourselves to be limited by the testimony of the physical senses, instead of lifting our thought above such testimony to heaven (harmony), as did the Master.
The beautiful truths revealed to us in the Christian Science textbook and the other authorized Christian Science literature overcome apathy, and inspire us to rise and go forward—to be active. In her beautiful article entitled "Fidelity" in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 340 ) Mrs. Eddy says, "Be active, and, however slow, thy success is sure." So if we are active in the right way, and with right motives, we cannot help being successful, and a decided improvement will surely begin to take place in our affairs. The Psalmist says of such a one, "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
And why should we fear to reach out after better things, when the Master said, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom," and Paul in his epistle to Timothy says that it is God "who giveth us richly all things to enjoy"? Why not gain an understanding of these sayings, reach out and claim our heritage as the children of God, and enjoy the good and lovely things which God is waiting to bestow upon us?
Christian Science reiterates the advice of James, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not." The practice of this scientific Christianity increases our comprehension, and gives us wisdom, foresight, and understanding hitherto dormant or unknown. It also enables us to fulfill God's requirement as set forth by our Leader in the Manual of The Mother Church (p. 77 ), where she says, "God requires wisdom, economy, and brotherly love to characterize all the proceedings of the members of The Mother Church." God being the All-wise, we are able to demonstrate that man reflects wisdom; for man is God's expression.
Lack of gratitude is a great stumblingblock in our efforts to rise above the sense of poverty. The spirit of gratitude must be allowed to permeate our consciousness until we can always see something for which to be grateful. Some students began being grateful for every little thing that in the smallest measure afforded them comfort, shelter, cheer, and harmony. And in a short time there was a decided change in their surroundings, and they were occupying a more comfortable and beautiful home than they had ever before enjoyed.
Being grateful for what we have also means making the most of what we have. Have we not seen people waste almost enough to keep another family? What a rebuke to extravagance and wastefulness was Jesus' request to his disciples to gather up the fragments that were left after he had fed the multitude! Neither time, labor, nor expense had entered into this remarkable demonstration; yet Jesus was not careless with what remained—even the fragments were gathered to serve a good purpose. So often we hear those who are very extravagant crying, "Hard times!" They have not made the most of what they had. If they had done this, they would not now be worrying and struggling so much. If we look after the essentials first, the nonessentials will be taken care of in due time, and we shall not have to worry after we get them because of the lack brought about by our greediness to have first what we want, instead of what we need.
The Scriptures tell us that "love is the fulfilling of the law;" and how true it is that if we have sufficient love for God and our fellow-man we shall not be long in bondage to the poverty-breeding thoughts mentioned; for love is honest, kind, unselfish, wise, active, and obedient. Poverty is no more the will of God for man than is sickness, sin, or death. Divine Love, to whom belongs "the earth ... and the fulness thereof," has given His children more than they can ask or think; and it is our privilege to claim our heritage, and overcome, cast out, trample down all the carnal beliefs and errors which would hide this glorious fact from us. Thus we shall come into a fuller realization of what Jesus meant when he said, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Copyright, 1927, by The Christian Science Publishing Society, Falmouth and St. Paul Streets, Boston, Massachusetts. Entered at Boston post office as second-class matter. Acceptance for mailing at a special rate of postage provided for in section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 11, 1918.
