Editorial September 14, 1935 Issue

Spiritual Poise

Duncan Sinclair

In Christ Jesus we have a marvelous example of spiritual poise. One has but to study the Gospels to be convinced of the fact. Even at the early age of twelve years this was manifest; for did not Joseph and the mother of Jesus find him in the temple, "sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions"? That surely indicated notable spiritual poise on the part of the youthful Jesus. And throughout his ministry, which began eighteen years later, the same spiritual balance was in evidence. How strikingly it was seen on the occasions when he confronted the multitudes, speaking to them of eternal things and proving the truth of his teaching by his works of healing! How apparent it was when he called Lazarus from the tomb, restored to life the son of the grief-stricken widow of Nain, and awoke Jairus' daughter from the deep sleep of death!

When we contemplate the career of Jesus, we cannot fail to think of his calm poise and steadfast demeanor, and always in conjunction with his compassion and love. Like ourselves he had to face the various problems of a mortal sense of existence, and to resist the temptations of the flesh; and in his solving of the problems and his overcoming of the temptations he was ever the same—the humble, perfectly poised Master. In presenting to us this particular phase of his enlightened character, Christ Jesus showed himself to be our great spiritual Exemplar.

What gave Jesus the spiritual poise that was his? It was that which endowed him with spiritual power, that which gifted him beyond measure with the ability to reverse the errors of material sense and to heal the woes of mortals—it was his understanding of spiritual Being. Mrs. Eddy says of him on page 189 of "Miscellaneous Writings," "The meek Nazarene's steadfast and true knowledge of preexistence, of the nature and the inseparability of God and man,—made him mighty." He knew that God is the Father of man; that as the son of God man coexists eternally with God. It was this knowledge on which he stood as upon an immovable foundation; it was this understanding that was the unalterable basis of his character, his power, his steadfastness, his poise.

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