Article May 8, 1965 Issue

Spiritual Perceptiveness

EVELYN M. S. DUCKETT

We read in the Bible of two instances in which the Israelites were protected during a war between Israel and Syria. In the first of these, the prophet Elisha saved the king of Israel from Syrian ambushes on several occasions. This frustration was so apparent that the king of Syria asked his servants which of them was betraying him. They answered ruefully (II Kings 6:12), "None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber."

In the second, the king of Syria sent a force to Dothan to capture Elisha. The prophet's servant became alarmed at the prospect of being captured, but we read (verse 17): "Elisha prayed, and said, Lord. I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man: and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."

These instances illustrate the twofold nature of spiritual perceptiveness. This quality detects evil inventions and forestalls them and is able to see good everywhere, in spite of adverse material evidence. Spiritual perceptiveness is important in the practice of Christian Science.

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