Footsteps

[Of Special Interest to Young People]

MARION GERRY

Progress is the need and earnest expectation of the Christian Scientist. It is a desire that has promise of fulfillment, for Christ Jesus tells us. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:6). Our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, gives us the comforting assurance in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 199), "The devotion of thought to an honest achievement makes the achievement possible."

Since legitimate progress is "an honest achievement." we know that our need is diligence in watching our thinking, in keeping the perfect model always before our thoughts, in meditating on spiritual reality, and in endeavoring to express more intelligence, love, charitableness, and thoughtfulness.

During the pioneer days a man found, as he plowed his new field, that when he watched the ground, weeds which were called devil's shoestrings twined and tangled about his feet, making him struggle and stumble. When he finally reached the end of the field, he looked back and saw an extremely crooked furrow. This he knew had to be corrected if his work was to be of any value, so he cut a pole or staff and fastened his white handkerchief to the top like a flag. Placing the pole at the far side of the field, he watched the flag as he guided his plow. The devil's shoestrings no longer snared him and the new furrow was straight. The man continued with this proved method until his work was perfect and complete.

As students, we need to obey the method our great pioneer, Mrs. Eddy, proved and gave us in Science and Health (p. 426): "The discoverer of Christian Science finds the path less difficult when she has the high goal always before her thoughts, than when she counts her footsteps in endeavoring to reach it." Are we looking down in ignorance, allowing the weeds, or devil's shoestrings, of envy, self-pity, discouragement, and selfishness, to twine themselves about our feet, confusing and tripping us and causing us to plow a crooked and unsatisfactory furrow?

A young Christian Scientist of the writer's acquaintance was eager to have a university education. The rest of her family had all had that opportunity, and she felt a sense of inferiority and injustice because it was not hers also. This feeling increased until she was quite unhappy. However, she persisted with her daily study of the Christian Science Quarterly Lesson-Sermons. One morning she awoke to the fact that she was making a god of a university education. She saw that as she watched the obstacles which were in her way she stumbled and made slow progress. The error uncovered, she lifted her thought and directed her attention more fully to learning about man's relationship to the one Mind, while she did the many things necessary in the home. As the gloomy thought weeds were rejected, a way opened for her to attend the local university, where she experienced additional proofs of divine Love's care.

When we look up and forward, fastening our gaze on the truths of divine Science, the furrows of our endeavor will be straight, our progress steady, and our achievements right.

Paul gave us a splendid rule for our adoption (Eph. 5:1. 15): "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.... See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise."

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