Every earnest student of Christian Science eventually realizes that his growth Godward is indicated not only by how he solves an occasional severe problem or meets an emergency, but also by how well he lives Christian Science in his daily life—how distinctly he leaves its silent, healing imprint wherever he goes.

This realization swept over one student at a time when it appeared that she had failed in solving a seemingly acute problem. Troubled and discouraged, she went back over the ground to see where she had missed the path. To her surprise, she discovered more and more apparently insignificant ways in which she could have done much better in living Christian Science. Suddenly she was overwhelmed with a great longing to live the Christ, Truth, better in her daily experience and to extend the blessing of what she already understood to an ever-widening circle, beginning with those close at hand.

As she went about household duties one morning the words "to bless all mankind" came forcefully to her thought. She knew that this familiar phrase was used by Mrs. Eddy in this statement concerning The Christian Science Monitor: "The object of the Monitor is to injure no man, but to bless all mankind" (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 353). The student had always associated this only with the purpose of the Monitor, but now she thought: Why, that was Mrs. Eddy's whole mission in life! It was the motivation of everything she ever did! And surely it should characterize the lives of all who acknowledge her as their Leader.

The student started to think how she could best benefit mankind with what she had to give. She recalled a passage from Henry Drummond's famous sermon, "The Greatest Thing in the World": "Have you ever noticed how much of Christ's life was spent in doing kind things—in merely doing kind things? Run over it with that in view, and you will find that He spent a great proportion of His time simply in making people happy."

And so began a new avenue of study for the Christian Scientist. She became so absorbed in tracing Jesus' activities in this light and in trying earnestly to emulate them herself that she did not notice when the problem vanished.

A consecrated study of Jesus' life in the Gospels soon reveals that although there was only one resurrection and one ascension, there were many instances when he had compassion on the people and healed multitudes. His being able to walk on the water and to join the disciples even though "the doors were shut" (John 20:19) were matched by his tender concern and provision for the hungry multitudes that followed him, by his gentleness with little children, and by his solicitude on the cross for his mother's welfare as he gave her into John's keeping.

Indeed, it is safe to say that had there not been his unceasing, meticulous attention to even the smallest aspects of divine Love, there would have been no resurrection and no ascension. Undoubtedly, it was of the myriad daily kindnesses, as well as of the so-called miracles, that John wrote so feelingly at the close of his Gospel (21:25), "There are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written."

We are not all able to raise the dead with our present understanding of Christian Science, but all of us are able to offer a heartful of blessing in the Father's name wherever our steps take us.

Mans destiny is to bless—to express abundantly his God-given spiritual qualities. If he accepts this truth, no one is too young or too old, too lacking in formal education, or too insignificant by human standards of importance to fulfill this destiny.

We do not have to be faced with a mighty challenge before we can prove the power, grandeur, and immediacy of divine Love. One who longs to use whatever he presently understands of Christian Science will find opportunities provided in the simplest guises.

Moses saw a "bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed" (Ex. 3:2), and he heard the voice of God speaking to him out of the midst of it. This was not the Moses who lived in luxury in Pharaoh's court, but Moses of the listening heart, Moses the shepherd, made humble and patient by his years of lonely vigil in the wilderness.

May not Moses have seen the bush as a symbol of Truth burning brightly to make its revelation visible and its voice audible to the consciousness of one who was awake enough to the evidence of God's presence to stop and give it his undivided attention? Had Moses not been humble enough to give interested attention to this unusual phenomenon, he would have missed the message of Truth, which outlined the first steps of his great lifework and changed the course of history.

We never know in our daily demonstration of Christian Science what the eventual reward will be of devoting hand and heart to a purer expression of divine Love. The bush still burns today. All who turn aside from the clamor of materiality to learn more of God and to reflect Him better, find Him calling, loving, protecting, feeding them, and giving them something to do for Him.

Isaiah said of God, "His reward is with him" (40:10). When we reach out with comfort to bless mankind, the blessing comes home to us again in beautiful ways. As the thought of God dominates our consciousness, all good—His reward—comes with Him, to be manifested in our experience in whatever way will enrich us most.

There is never a circumstance in which we need to be hesitant about letting Jesus' healing example shine through our actions. Mrs. Eddy writes (Science and Health, p. 55): "The time for the reappearing of the divine healing is throughout all time; and who-soever layeth his earthly all on the altar of divine Science, drinketh of Christ's cup now, and is endued with the spirit and power of Christian healing."