A Practical Answer

JEANNE STEELY LAITNER

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy writes (p. 465): "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love." A student of Christian Science who was pondering these synonyms for God found herself confronted with this question: "How do I perceive the glorious qualities of God which these synonyms imply?" As light floods a darkened room, revelation flooded her consciousness, bringing this answer: "You see these qualities manifest in man!" The marvelous possibilities of this answer became continually more apparent to her.

For example, if the Christian Scientist is to envision and bring into his experience more of the intelligence which is God, he must recognize and prove his ability to express it. He must acknowledge God to be the intelligence his brother manifests, and appreciate it. For, if he is seeing himself or another as lacking in intelligence, he is temporarily allowing mortal mind to convince him of its false testimony. If he sees his neighbor as less than loving, he is believing mortal mind can identify itself with his neighbor, rather than discerning the spiritual selfhood of his neighbor.

A Christian Scientist was engaged in tutoring a high school pupil in French. The pupil appeared to be lacking in intelligence and the work was proceeding at a discouraging rate. The Christian Scientist found herself thinking. "I wish this pupil knew something about Christian Science so we could work together for a realization of her God-bestowed intelligence." One day however, she suddenly realized that the least and the most that she could do was to heal herself of the picture she was entertaining of an unintelligent child.

Each day, before the pupil came, the teacher dwelt on the allness of God and His ever-present intelligence. Of great inspiration was Mrs. Eddy's definition of "intelligence" (ibid., p. 588), "Substance; self-existent and eternal Mind." She was especially impressed with the last clause, which reads, "that which is never unconscious nor limited." Further, she affirmed that nothing but intelligence could enter her home; and she changed her concept of home from a material structure to the consciousness of divine Love. In no way did she work for the pupil; she strove only to free herself of the belief that she was entertaining of man as unintelligent, and to gain a higher concept of intelligence and man.

The result of thus obeying Jesus' divine command, "Physician, heal thyself," was a wonderful healing, which blessed all concerned. The tutor was healed of impatience and discouragement, and the pupil evidenced sudden and remarkable progress. The dullness disappeared. With great joy she remarked to her tutor, "It's as though I really understand this French for the first time in almost two years." Her high school teacher sent word to the tutor that she had never seen a pupil progress so rapidly in such a short time.

The Christian Scientist rejoiced in this definite proof of Mrs. Eddy's statement (ibid., p. 516), "The substance, Life, intelligence, Truth, and Love, which constitute Deity, are reflected by His creation; and when we subordinate the false testimony of the corporeal senses to the facts of Science, we shall see this true likeness and reflection everywhere."

The Christian Scientist finds, too, that his increasing discernment of God's qualities constitutes his supply. This supply cannot be diminished or lost; it is ever at hand to meet his every need; it is forever unfolding, thus fulfilling the Biblical promise, "For he that hath, to him shall be given."

A clearer vision of God's qualities also furthers one's progress. Wonderful is the realization that this progress is available to all, irrespective of age, personality, or circumstance. Every time the individual exchanges a mortal, limited sense of man or creation for the real, spiritual concept, he is taking a step forward. And his spiritual progress will inevitably be paralleled by advancement in his human experience.

Jesus enjoined us to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Are we willing to abandon, "forgive," a mortal sense of man and to adhere constantly to our knowledge of man's real status as the expression of God's qualities? Therein lies the practical answer for the attainment of health, joy progress, abundance, the experiencing now of all creation as "very good."

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