Article April 14, 1934 Issue

"Humility is lens and prism"

LOUIS SEABER

Progress in the understanding and practice of Christian Science is quickened or retarded according to the degree of one's humility. In the eager desire to gain some specific benefit of the healing truth, this virtue as an essential to spiritual advancement is often overlooked. Yet, as Mrs. Eddy has written (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 356), "Humility is lens and prism to the understanding of Mind-healing; it must be had to understand our textbook; it is indispensable to personal growth, and points out the chart of its divine Principle and rule of practice."

False education magnifies human personality and fosters the mistaken notion that ability and achievement, success and happiness, are products of the human mind. Christian Scientists therefore must learn to appraise rightly the value and importance of humility, and cultivate it. Until it is actively developed in the individual consciousness, and expressed in conduct, progress in the understanding of the Science of being, revealed in Christian Science, is more or less uncertain.

In view of the materialistic nature of human thinking and its objectives, it is not surprising that humility should be wrongly conceived of by those who ignore or scorn spiritual values. In its pride of intellect, mortal mind would claim that humility is a sign of timidity and subservience. It would argue that humility affects only one's attitude toward God, but is not actually to be exercised in the market place. It would offer the subtle falsity that humility is weakness approaching servility; timidity halting in the path of loving-kindness; fear hesitating to think and act independently of accepted opinions. On the contrary, humility neither belittles nor enslaves anyone; it has nothing in common with timidity and fear. It is of the essence of love. As understood in Christian Science, it is the acknowledgment of God's government, which acknowledgment humbles personal egotism and exalts man, spiritually created in the image and likeness of God.

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