Article October 28, 1939 Issue

Spiritual Companionship

PAUL J. LICHTENFELS

The words of Christ Jesus, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you," have brought comfort and healing to many. This counsel has been effectively utilized by Christian Scientists when confronted with the belief of a lack of the so-called necessities of everyday experience. The resultant lifting of thought to spiritual realities has destroyed the belief and brought a supply of every needful thing. But the healing inspiration of this message transcends the getting of mere material things. The spiritual understanding that comes through persistent seeking of the kingdom of God meets all needs, surely including in its beneficence the healing of a lack of right companionship.

The demonstration of true companionship is of vital importance to each individual. Right companionship contributes to happiness and success, while wrong companions bring varying consequences of crime, poverty, disease, and misery. The choice of companions is a problem that begins in childhood and continues throughout experience. In school, business, or home contacts the successful handling of this problem requires the highest manifestation of wisdom. But what we really need, and what inevitably adds these other things, is the demonstration in our experience of a spiritual sense of companionship. What, then, is right companionship? Where is it to be found? To these questions Christian Science gives a sure answer.

Problems exist only in mortal thought; lack of right companionship is, therefore, a phase of erroneous mortal belief. Under the heading, "Scientific Translation of Mortal Mind" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, pp. 115, 116), Mary Baker Eddy presents three degrees of thought—physical, moral, and spiritual. Those uninstructed by Christian Science, but seeking right companionship, would quickly reject the depraved and unreal qualities listed as physical, and seek, instead, an expression of the highest standards of human thought and conduct. Undoubtedly, the characteristics listed by Mrs. Eddy as "moral" constitute the human mind's concept of the highest standards. These are "humanity, honesty, affection, compassion, hope, faith, meekness, temperance." They are most commendable, but as they are human characteristics, they fall short of the perfection of man created in the image of God, divine Love; therefore, they do not guarantee the joy, happiness, and success desired. Nearly everyone knows of individuals who exemplify these higher human characteristics, yet who have unprofitable and unhappy experiences, or who struggle with a sense of loneliness. So, while one commends these qualities, he must remember they represent a transitional stage in growth toward the spiritual unity which is the essence of true companionship. He must strive to express the reality of the third degree—signified by Mrs. Eddy as "wisdom, purity, spiritual understanding, spiritual power, love, health, holiness."

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