Article June 1, 1940 Issue

Singleness of Purpose

[Written Especially for Young People]

JEANE L. BLILER

In the life of our Master, Christ Jesus, the great Exemplar, we find a singleness of purpose running like a golden thread throughout all his experiences of teaching and healing. In the inspired Sermon on the Mount he gives us this instruction: "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." He revealed the divine Principle—from which all harmonious action proceeds—to be God, his Father, and he never wavered in his acknowledgment of the divine influence which directed his truly noble and successful career.

It is revealed to us through the study of Christian Science that God is the infinite Principle of all right activity. Mary Baker Eddy defines God in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" as follows (p. 465): "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love." Man's spiritual selfhood is recognized as the image and likeness of the one infinite God. Therefore, his existence is wholly spiritual, not material. Every experience, then, whatever the outward manifestation may be, is primarily mental.

A boy who had attended the Christian Science Sunday School for many years was learning to follow Jesus' command of obedience to Principle and singleness of purpose in his athletic activities. He had conscientiously endeavored to apply the Golden Rule to fair play and good sportsmanship in all games and contests. He tried to be a cheerful loser and a humble winner. However, he experienced difficulties because of his inability to express serenity, calmness, and poise whenever he entered interscholastic contests. His coaches instructed him to the best of their ability in regard to composure. But in spite of all his efforts he continued to be deprived of his rightful freedom of action.

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