A young woman who had been brought up to "always finish what you start" began to find, as her house filled up with children, that the demands of motherhood never seemed to enable her to finish anything she started. Although she thoroughly enjoyed the duties and privileges afforded by her busy household, this one aspect of motherhood remained both frustrating and irritating. Since she was a student of Christian Science, she decided to think about this problem from the standpoint of her religion.

Was Christ Jesus ever interrupted? If so, how did he react? In rereading the Gospel accounts of Jesus' life, she found that his career was marked by frequent interruptions. For instance, while on his way to heal Jairus' daughter, who was at the point of death, he found himself in a crowd. He didn't push and shove or shout that he was badly needed elsewhere. Even in the crowd he must have been at peace, his thoughts reflecting the presence of divine Love, for a woman in the throng touched his garment and was healed. He stopped his journey long enough to call her forward and receive her acknowledgment of healing. Then, unconcerned by this delay, he went on to Jairus' house and instantly restored his daughter (see Mark 5).

Once, when teaching in the synagogue, Jesus was interrupted by the shouts of an insane man. He evidently was not annoyed. He dealt with the interruption by casting out the "spirit of an unclean devil" ¹ and healing the man.

From these incidents and many others recorded in the Bible it is clear that Jesus did not resent interruptions. Each one was seen as an opportunity for blessing and healing. Why do so many busy people today react to interruptions in a negative way? Perhaps the answer lies in one's concept of his job, of what things are most important in his daily round. Jesus, of all who ever trod the earth, had the clearest view of true vocation or life purpose.

"To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth," ² he tells us.

Jesus saw that the important thing was not how many human tasks he could complete quickly and smoothly but how much good he could express. If a journey was held up or a party disturbed, these were seen not as frustrating delays in completing a human plan but as opportunities to glorify God, which, after all, is what fulfilling the divine plan means. If efficiency is measured in terms of successful and meaningful accomplishment, surely Jesus was the most efficient man who ever lived.

The young mother began to see that her primary assignment every day was to express good, the nature of infinite Spirit. It didn't really matter if her human affairs were conducted in a rather stop-and-go manner, so long as she was ceaselessly manifesting God, or good. She saw, too, that a day could be considered fruitful if its spiritual demands had been recognized and fulfilled. The completion of merely human tasks was not a true measurement of accomplishment. She recalled Mrs. Eddy's remark, "Rushing around smartly is no proof of accomplishing much."³

As she replaced human outlining with divine Love's direction, she found that tension and irritability left her experience even though the interruptions continued.

The benefits of scientifically handling interruptions are, naturally, not confined to mothers. For example, the businessman who finds his telephone constantly breaking in upon his work can answer these calls with peace and love when he recognizes that his main job is to express good without interruption. The consciousncss attuned to God understands that no human circumstances can separate man from God, the source of all good. Irritation enters only when mortal mind, or human will, tries to outline according to the physical senses the times and ways in which a task should be accomplished. In speaking of the difference between the physical senses and the spiritual senses Mrs. Eddy says, "The latter move in God's grooves of Science: the former revolve in their own orbits, and must stand the friction of false selfhood until self-destroyed." ⁴

The activities that Love outlines can only bless man; they can never be incomplete or interrupted. God, Mind, is responsible for completing the activities He initiates. When we faithfully strive to understand these absolute truths, right projects are completed at the right time, in the right way, harmoniously and without irritation. We must continually remind ourselves that, in reality, we are spiritual ideas evolved by Mind, revolving in a daily round of blessings; we are not helpless mortals frustrated at every turn by material circumstances beyond our control. Of course, we need to prepare for each day prayerfully if we are to remain serene, loving, and undisturbed. Many Christian Scientists use the early morning hours for quiet prayer and study to equip themselves to meet the day's demands. Also, everyone can set aside some periods for quiet, uninterrupted metaphysical work during the day.

Sometimes the question arises whether all interruptions are legitimate or whether one is correct in rebelling against some of them. Any mother of young children, or any busy salesclerk or business executive, knows that some interruptions are not justified. For instance, no mother would constantly interrupt her tasks to cater to the whims of a little child. Sometimes the most loving thing to do for a child is to require him to wait, thereby rebuking selfishness and teaching him thoughtfulness and patience.

In any situation we need to examine the motives involved in a request. Is there a real need for our attention, or is this a demand of selfish human will? Is our response motivated by love and wisdom, by a desire to do what will truly bless all involved, or is it based on irritation, human will, a rigid mortal timetable? Love will unfold the proper course for every situation.

We each must learn that our first and foremost job is to bear witness to Truth, to manifest the qualities of God. We need to remember to continue doing this without interruption. Spiritual understanding equips us to face the vicissitudes of the human scene with equanimity and confidence. Such changes are but the blowing mists of mortal dreams. In reality, they have no power to cause us to feel angry, irritable, or frustrated.

Mrs. Eddy reassures us with these words: "The relations of God and man, divine Principle and idea, are indestructible in Science; and Science knows no lapse from nor return to harmony, but holds the divine order or spiritual law, in which God and all that He creates are perfect and eternal, to have remained unchanged in its eternal history." ⁵