Blessed Are the Righteous

HELEN AUDREY FRANKLIN

Christian Science teaches us how to prove the truth, taught throughout the Bible, that righteousness is always blessed.

Young people are sometimes tempted to be a little afraid of righteousness; they do not want to be thought too good. Is anyone, however, ashamed to claim knowledge of the fact that the earth is round, lest he be thought too scientific? Certainly not, for this fact is useful to those who accept it. Now, the truth that man, the real man, God's child, is righteous is also a very useful fact to everyone who accepts it. This reasoning should help to relieve one of a belief in righteousness as personal. Christian Science shows that righteousness is not a negative quality (it is error that is that), but is vigorous, dynamic, joy-giving, bringing with it its own protection and reward.

Jesus said, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for their's is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Many people consider this last beatitude a very hard one; but when they learn through Christian Science its real meaning, they see it is not sad and gloomy, but full of joy. What is the blessing? Not persecution, but the kingdom of heaven. And what is blessed? Righteousness. This beatitude, then, states clearly that righteousness is rewarded, not punished. In other words, we do not have to suffer for being good and doing right, since every right motive and deed is blessed. Is not this a cause for rejoicing?

It is the persecution that many people do not like to contemplate, and they shrink from the beatitude quoted for this reason. When studied in the light of Christian Science, however, this beatitude reveals something of evil's method of working and its utter powerlessness when met with the truth. Through this study we learn that it is only error that claims that the good must suffer, and that this false claim listened to is the source of many of our problems. When the truth taught in this beatitude, that righteousness is always blessed, is applied to these problems, this claim of evil is destroyed and the problems are solved.

Young people might be tempted to believe that it seems at times difficult to take their stand as Christian Scientists. Should such temptation come, one may ask himself, What rule does the last beatitude give me? "Rejoice"! And why? For the same reason that a good student at school would be happy if his teacher should choose him to do the hardest problem in the exercise: he would be glad of a chance to prove his knowledge.

Suppose one has a hard problem to solve in that he has been treated unjustly, his best motives misunderstood, his good deeds misjudged. In order to solve this problem, he must have a clear understanding of God and must rejoice that he is called upon to prove it. He must see that it is only error which claims that a courageous stand for Truth must bring suffering, for righteousness is blessed. He derives great joy from the realization of the fact that his pure, true motives have been given him by God; that they are known to God and are rewarded by Him. Then who or what can misjudge him? This belief in an evil mind that misjudges is utterly false; and it is this belief, not a person, which must be mastered by the understanding of Truth. When he sees the error as only a false claim, he loses his fear of it and also his desire for retaliation. Thus he destroys evil's claim to punish him for righteousness, and he receives his reward.

It is Love which spiritualizes our thought and gives us the ability to heal. On page 51 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy has written: "Jesus was unselfish. His spirituality separated him from sensuousness, and caused the selfish materialist to hate him; but it was this spirituality which enabled Jesus to heal the sick, cast out evil, and raise the dead." Which is better—a false sense of popularity or spirituality?

Young men and women who are trying to apply Christian Science in the business world sometimes find that their progress seems to be obstructed by inexplicable opposition. The study of this beatitude will awaken them to the necessity of handling, every day, the claim of evil to resist righteousness. Its reversal by the truth will unfold great blessings, including progress and right advancement. Thus may we conquer evil's claim to resist righteousness, and prove the omnipotence of God's law, which always blesses the righteous.

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