The Measure of Man

LAURENCE A. BUCKLAND

Although the disciples were with Jesus during his earthly ministry and witnessed his works, they did better healing work after they had received the Holy Ghost. Explaining the Pentecostal experience, Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, pp. 46, 47), "They were roused to an enlarged understanding of divine Science, even to the spiritual interpretation and discernment of Jesus' teachings and demonstrations, which gave them a faint conception of the Life which is God." And she adds significantly, "They no longer measured man by material sense." By what, then, had they learned to measure, appraise, man?

The Bible tells us that God created man in His own image and likeness, and gave him dominion over all things. The man God created must, therefore, reflect the nature and character of God. It is very important that every individual learn to measure or appraise man correctly. We have to offer for service only our character and ability. Are we measuring our ability physically or spiritually? How much of the character and ability of the God-created man are we offering through reflecting Mind? We need to gain a true concept of the nature of the real man, and then express this in daily life.

In purity, humility, patience, joy, and gratitude man mirrors forth the spiritual nature of Spirit, God. He reflects ever present divine Love in gentleness, friendliness, and selflessness. He represents Truth, the only substance, in truthfulness, honesty, integrity. As the emanation of Soul, he is conscious of resourcefulness, goodness, serenity. He expresses creative Mind in intelligence and wisdom. He shows forth the government of divine Principle in obedience and order, for he exists in and manifests Life in harmonious activity.

Our Leader writes in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 282), "Remember, it is personality, and the sense of personality in God or in man, that limits man." The word "person" originated from the Latin word persona meaning "a mask (used by actors)." The mask which humanity wears is that of personal sense, or false belief; and this belief is the mist which hides the real man from our sight. We must learn to measure our sense of man by spiritual sense. We need to be alert and loving lest a "sense of personality" warp our judgment.

Christian Science teaches that God, Truth, is man's only intelligence. The way, then, to measure our intelligence is by the amount of truth, wisdom, patience, and loving consideration for others which we express in daily life. The intelligence of creative Mind is instantly available to all, as their aims, motives, and ambitions are purified of selfishness and materiality. Good is impersonal and abundantly supplied to all, in conformity to the statement of the father in Jesus' parable, "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." All is thine—happiness, abundance, and the power to think aright!

God is Love; therefore, whenever we love spiritually we are but expressing the love wherewith He first loved us, as the beloved disciple says. We have to consider the use we make of the dominion with which the creator has endowed man. Are we using it, or not? This dominion can be used only for a righteous purpose. Man, as Mind's spiritual idea, has dominion over all the earth. In proportion as we hold steadfastly to this birthright of God's man shall we prove in our human experience that angel-thoughts—pure, true, and loving—coming to us, supply our need and bring us right opportunities.

One of the results of their learning the new standard of measuring man was that the disciples became better healers. Students of Christian Science know that only as they maintain in their own consciousness the true concept of man, made in God's image and likeness, can they heal the sick. To become better healers, then, means that we must no longer measure man by material sense, but at all times hold that attitude of loving compassion indicated by Christ Jesus in his parable of the good Samaritan.

Our vision of man's oneness with the Father should be so clear, so assured, that when our brother comes to us seeming to be wounded, robbed of his birthright, hopeless and discouraged, we can help him to know that he is enfolded in the dear Father's love.

What a happy day it will be in our experience when we shall habitually think of our friends and of all in spiritual terms, which have for us definite, recognizable characteristics! Then we shall know even as we are known of our Father-Mother God. In "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 185) we read, "The spiritualization of our sense of man opens the gates of paradise that the so-called material senses would close, and reveals man infinitely blessed, upright, pure, and free; having no need of statistics by which to learn his origin and age, or to measure his manhood, or to know how much of a man he ever has been: for, 'as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.' "

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Studying Christian Science

December 9, 1933

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