Article June 28, 1930 Issue

The Present Reality

JEAN M. SNYDER

As a train slipped into a winter's twilight, and the lights of the car were turned on, it was noticed that the full detail of the opposite side of the car was reflected on the window at the observer's elbow. Paradoxical as it sounds, as long as the gaze rested on the windowpane there appeared that which was not there. The opposite side of the car seemed to be outside the car. The observer knew, of course, that this was not the case; but as long as the gaze was held on the windowpane, the testimony of the senses made it appear to be where it was not. It was, however, only necessary to shift the gaze and look through the false appearance to see what was actually outside the window—the snowy fields, the trees, and the farmhouses with their twinkling lights.

An application of this object-lesson was then brought to human experience. Many times a problem confronting one is looked at too long and steadily, and perhaps no effort is made to look through it, with the result that the problem continues to seem present and real. When the mental gaze is diverted, or the thought lifted to dwell on God and His perfection and goodness; when one glimpses the spiritual facts that underlie all true existence, then no longer is the unreal accepted as the real.

Oftentimes the picture portrayed to material sense is that of a sick or sinful man. In regard to this evidence Mrs. Eddy says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 305), "As there is no corporeality in the mirrored form, which is but a reflection, so man, like all things real, reflects God, his divine Principle, not in a mortal body." The source of all mortal difficulty is belief in the reality of matter. This is the error which punishes itself. As long as it is believed that man is born into matter, lives in or because of it, suffers in it and dies out of it, mortals will be penalized with the seeming results of this false belief. Jesus taught that man is ever perfect as the likeness of Spirit. His words, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," reveal his knowledge of the perfect Father in a kingdom of perfect harmony; and the real man knows himself as the Father knows him—perfect. "Be ye ... perfect," he said. What words to hearten us! Here is a definite statement about man to inspire us to express in every human situation the Father's will, which Jesus prayed might be made manifest "in earth, as it is in heaven."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

The Present Reality

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access