Editorial February 24, 1973 Issue

When "Because" Defeats "But"

Naomi Price

When Christ Jesus said to a man whose hand was withered, "Stretch forth thine hand," ^{Matt. 12:13;} he expected his command to be obeyed. The Master was evidently not impressed or discouraged by the appearance of a withered limb. He knew that the man was the son of God and that because of this indissoluble relationship he could never, in truth, be paralyzed by disease. His authoritative attitude denied in advance the argument of physical sense testimony that might have prompted the man to reply, "But my hand is withered and helpless. I cannot move it." His understanding of divine cause was adequate to destroy the belief of mortal discord, and the consequence was that the hand was healed.

If, today, Jesus' followers are to heal as he did, their statements of truth should be supported by the same understanding as he had of man's real being as God's son, perfect, governed by divine law. It is not enough merely to state that there is no disease, only health, or to tell a person: "Arise, and walk."^{9:5 ;} Words alone cannot cure. We need to have the underlying conviction that because the individual to be helped is the image of divine Principle, and is forever maintained in God's likeness under the law of Love, he must already be healthy and free.

Mary Baker Eddy points out the importance of having understanding to support one's declarations of spiritual truth. On page 397 of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures she gives directions for dealing with a physical difficulty attributable, in mortal belief, to an accident. She writes, "Declare that you are not hurt and understand the reason why, and you will find the ensuing good effects to be in exact proportion to your disbelief in physics, and your fidelity to divine metaphysics, confidence in God as All, which the Scriptures declare Him to be."

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