Article March 28, 1953 Issue

PLANNING

SUMNER P. DAVIS

Proper planning is essential to the successful and harmonious operation of any human endeavor. Planning must, however, be put on a scientific basis in order to be useful and effective. It must be in accord, as Paul said, with "the purpose of him [God] who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will" (Eph. 1:11).

Under the definition of "Mind" given in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy writes in part (p. 591), "Deity, which outlines but is not outlined." Man, as God's reflection, must then express this outlining in every thought and action, or else man would cease to be the true image of Mind, God. Man is not outlined by nonintelligent matter or limited by a sense of ignorance, inadequacy, or lack, because God, Mind, includes none of these things.

Every experience of our entire lives, then, should be the result of intelligent and God-directed planning and outlining. Every human plan should show forth such divine attributes as wisdom, intelligence, perceptiveness, purposefulness, and decisiveness, and we should understand somewhat of the certainty with which God directs and guides His own idea. At the same time we need to exclude any sense of ignorance, fear, futility, indecision, inefficiency, or inaction, on the basis that not one of these is an attribute of God or has any possible expression in any action of man.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

"NEVER HATE ANYTHING"