Article July 29, 1933 Issue

A High Standard of Living

MARY LEE GOUGH NAY

The expression "a high standard of living," as used in common parlance, indicates a confused sense of values. A truly high standard does not depend upon the abundance of material resources at our command or the multiplicity of mechanical devices in our households. The Bible tells us that "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Therefore, neither does his standard of living depend upon the possession of these "things." It may be high or low in the midst of material symbols of progress. "Custom, education, and fashion form the transient standards of mortals," writes Mrs. Eddy when referring in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 247), to the fleeting beauty of material things.

True living is attained only through a high standard of thinking; it depends upon mental and spiritual resources and their active utilization. It is allied to peace and love, and also to a true sense of health as the result of thinking which conforms to the scientific truth about the law of Life, divine Principle. Not abundance of wealth brought about through human ingenuity, but spiritual development through the understanding and practice of Christian Science, measures our true living. This cannot be measured from a merely material and mechanical standpoint, but can be discerned only through the spiritual senses.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave the simple rules for attaining the spiritual standard of living, rules embracing the exercise of purity of heart, righteousness, meekness, mercy, spiritual poise, gladness, integrity, morality, forgiveness, love, which still invite the obedience of mankind. Following his direction, we see the possibility of arriving at that standard expressed in his all-inclusive admonition, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Yet in the days when Jesus said this, the things by which modern civilization in large measure gauges progress did not exist.

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