Article October 23, 1976 Issue

Staying in the Boat

GEORGE W. LEDBETTER

One summer day I was watching the activity along the Charles River from our large bay window. It was like viewing a giant television screen—sailboats, motor launches, an excursion boat, sunbather, strollers. My gaze kept returning to a man rowing in a single-man scull. Suddenly he flipped right into the river. He had become so interested in the activity around him that he "caught a crab" and the end of the oar knocked him overboard. Then he had difficulty getting back into the scull. Only with someone to steady the craft was he finally able to step back into it from the bank. His experience emphasized to me how important it is to put first things first, be alert, watch what we're doing—in order to stay in the boat, so to speak.

It is imperative to keep one's attention on the Christ, Truth, in order to advance spiritually. It often seems difficult to keep one's thoughts pure, but striving continuously to be more Christlike, to think and act as Christ Jesus did, brings progress, and this progress is in proportion to one's sincere, unselfish efforts. One who fills his consciousness with ideas from divine Mind, Love, will progressively express wisdom, inspiration, tenderness, love, and these will be manifested in intelligent, pure, joyous, loving actions.

Mortal mind presents all kinds of pictures that would distract one from keeping thought on his true status as the likeness of his Father-Mother God. Just as the Charles River activity caused the sculler to be distracted momentarily, so the mortal illusions of ease or pain in matter, pride of accomplishment, or human busyness may keep one from daily scientific prayer—from defending himself from the belief that he dwells apart from God and has a life, mind, and being separate from infinite Spirit. Mortal mind would bind results to human efforts and forces—claiming evil to be a cause and to be as real as good. Also this unreal mind claims that good is subject to chance and heredity, and dependent on what others do or think.

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