Article December 12, 1964 Issue

A College Student Writes

Opportunity for Directed Action

BETTY ANN BUTLER

"If you fail to improve moments before they pass into lost hours, you've only yourself to blame for an unexciting and unprosperous life." Until a friend made this remark to me during my senior year in high school, daily experiences had been very dull and routine to me. After the talk, I realized that a varied and successful life depends upon the foundations one lays down. I strove to overcome apathy and directed my life toward being more winsome and winning through using every opportunity to express Christlike action. The result was that my experiences rapidly became more interesting.

The recipe for varied and successful living is centered around two words: "directed action." Christian Science teaches that to be truly directed, action must proceed from Principle, the source of all right ideas. When Principle directs, there is no opportunity for self-righteousness and egotism in thought and in deed. Misdirected action stems from willfulness and selfishness, from allowing mortal mind to influence our motives and deeds, and from believing that good can be achieved through impure motives and acts. Such action is incorrect and would never occur if we listened to God.

Directed action is the result of obeying the counsel given in Proverbs (3:5, 6): "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

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