Article July 10, 1948 Issue

"THE ONE TALENT THAT WE ALL HAVE"

HARRY E. DE LASAUX

"To do good to all because we love all, and to use in God's service the one talent that we all have, is our only means of adding to that talent and the best way to silence a deep discontent with our shortcomings." So writes Mary Baker Eddy in "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany" (p. 195). It is to be noted that our beloved Leader speaks of "the one talent that we all have." This talent which is available to all is the ability to know God and to use this knowledge, or understanding, of Him to meet the problems of everyday life.

Mortals have been educated to believe that talents are exceptional human abilities, personal possessions. We speak of someone having a talent for music, another for public speaking, this one for business, and that one for cooking. Many appear to have an outstanding natural endowment in a particular direction, some to have several talents. But these singular accomplishments, as valuable and useful as they may be, are but human concepts of spiritual abilities impartially bestowed by God, the one infinite divine Mind, upon all His children.

Christian Science reveals the nature of God to men and in doing so shows them the source of true ability. Whatever capability man has is not of his making, but is of God's giving. Man is the image and likeness of God, divine Mind. Mind evidences its abilities in man through spiritual ideas, thoughts, inspiration, and revelation. Thus whatever we need to know or do we can do, for in reality our true selfhood is always knowing and doing that which God would have us do. This is so because our true manhood is the individual representation of God, the reflection of divine intelligence. Each one of us is in reality an individualized expression of infinite Mind.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

EXCHANGING THE HUMAN FOR THE DIVINE