Article December 1, 1956 Issue

"BE YOURSELF"

[Of Special Interest to Young People]

JOHN R. RUTHERFORD

The desire to express naturalness and grace in some form is common to almost everyone, yet many believe themselves incapable of manifesting those qualities when speaking, testifying, or performing before an audience. Even when one's thoughts are imbued with inspiration, one may feel a measure of fear and may doubt his ability to perform well. When this happens, the trouble lies in one's trying to express oneself through a material concept of person. On page 517 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mary Baker Eddy says, "The world believes in many persons; but if God is personal, there is but one person, because there is but one God." Therefore, as one recognizes God as the only person, he is gaining a clear comprehension and expression of intelligence and grace.

A teen-ager who considered her hobby of figure skating a means of expressing beauty and grace had just passed a rigorous test on the ice. When asked how she was able to show so much poise and control with three judges watching her and at a time when there was considerable doubt as to her being prepared, she answered, "A friend said, 'Be yourself,' and so I tried to be as natural as possible."

The two words "Be yourself" were the final, good-natured admonishment of the Christian Science practitioner whom the young skater had asked to help her. These words carried a very significant meaning to the young girl, because she had learned in a Christian Science Sunday School that God gives to each of us our true spiritual selfhood, and this is our natural heritage. To her, the words were not just a popular phrase, but a challenge to express her true nature as God's image and likeness. In realizing this positive truth and in putting it into action, she felt confident she would be able to pass the test. And she did.

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