Article August 21, 1976 Issue

A higher perception of man

Cultivating True Appreciation

JOAN V. GERVILLE-REACHE

"It's easy to be nice when you're appreciated," the post office clerk said to the woman who had just thanked him warmly for the help he had given her. At the human level appreciation certainly does help to remove the kinks from our daily contacts with others. Seen from a higher standpoint, appreciation is a God-derived quality that does much more than just remove kinks.

True appreciation dissolves misunderstandings, eliminates confrontations, and unclogs the channels of communication so that the interchange of thoughts and ideas can flow freely.

Basically, appreciation is a matter of evaluating worth. Evaluation based on human opinion and material sense is always inaccurate. Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health, "Finite sense has no true appreciation of infinite Principle, God, or of His infinite image or reflection, man." Science and Health, p. 300; Christian Science teaches us to evaluate our fellowman on the basis of his real worth as the image of God, using the heightened perception of spiritual understanding to see this true man right where finite material sense presents the picture of a sick, sinning, or unlovely mortal.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
Welcome Home!
August 21, 1976
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit