Do we think of sight merely as a nerve-based faculty built on matter and subject to matter's vagaries, to age and uncertainty? Christian Science treats us to a more expansive view of sight—of what it really is, where it is, how it operates.

The first biblical account of sight occurs in the opening chapter of Genesis. Here, as different stages of creation are recorded, there follow the words, "And God saw that it was good."

God seeing!

Since God is infinite Spirit, what could He see but His own allness, His power, the perfection of His spiritual creation? Christian Science shows us that man as His reflection includes this perfect seeing and its flawless and undimmed activity.

How freeing to learn through this Science that sight is one of the senses of Soul, God, and as such is anchored in eternity! The power to act resides in God, not in a network of nerves. The power to see exists in Love and does not rest or depend upon two balls of matter. When we lift our concept of sight beyond the reach of matter and find it in Soul, we see that beliefs about age cannot limit the effectiveness and scope of our sight.

This high level of spiritual thinking brings a fresh view to our day-to-day living. We see ourselves and then our neighbor in a new light—not as material persons each with a private mind and a private set of faculties, but each as divine Life's spiritual reflection exhibiting the faculties of Soul.

One of the most insistent depleters of our joy in living and of our sight is the belief of time, the acceptance of age limits. Recently I heard someone lamenting the passing of time and the encroachment of age. He finished his comment with these words: "Strange things happen when one passes over the line of —." And he mentioned a particular figure.

What is it that would draw a line and hold mankind within its limits? That would divide life into bits and pieces? That would parcel out both life and sight into a score or two of top-performing years and then drag them down into wilting and inefficiency? Isn't it the carnal mind with its measuring line that reaches no farther than matter and its limits? The Christian Scientist is learning to draw a line of demarcation between human opinion and spiritual truth instead of drawing a line at any age.

Christ Jesus awakens us to a wondrous view of Life when he says, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."^{John 17:3;} Christian Science comes elaborating this tremendous truth, giving us wider vistas of its meaning and dimensions. It comes as a spiritual discipline teaching us to see good present, to expect and claim increase, not decrease, of freedom both in seeing and acting.

This Science inspires us to look beyond the belief that man and his faculties are composed of fragile, perishable elements; beyond the belief that man is a closing-up, fading mortal instead of a limitless, unfolding immortal. It teaches us that sight is not a personal possession owned and conditioned materially but that it is a spiritual faculty conditioned entirely by Soul, and that man has it as Soul's reflection.

Because of the tremendous love and practicality that characterize the teachings of Christian Science, we can walk through our days being alert to and cultivating spiritual seeing. We can ask ourselves, Am I beholding myself and my neighbor as God sees us? Am I accepting limits or freedom? If I accept freedom, then I refuse to walk in the no-man's-land of comparisons: is my sight as good as it was last month; is it as good as my friend's; is one eye better than the other?

Mrs. Eddy clears our vision with these words from Science and Health: "The senses of Spirit abide in Love, and they demonstrate Truth and Life."^{Science and Health, p. 274;} As we really see and acknowledge this, then the suggestion that says, I have a material, private faculty of sight with its own private set of difficulties, begins to fade. As we drop this personal sense of sight, we drop the personal fears that seem to accompany it. This scientific action takes off the pressure of false belief so often imposed on eyesight.

The erroneous concept of sight seems to be imposed upon us insistently by world belief. Let's be watchful not to accept it. Poor eyesight is not normal at any age. Should it seem expedient, however, to wear glasses for a time, in order to carry out our work or drive the car safely, we can of course do so without self-condemnation or a feeling of guilt. But let's be sure to think of them strictly as temporary props rather than permanent attachments or means for improvement of sight—or of our appearance. Contrary to some current thinking glasses are not fashionable.

Real sight never gets outside Soul to be plagued with uncertainty or disease. It remains untouched, never needing to be healed or restored or changed. Our need is to clear away the clouds of negative thinking that would veil true sight—destructive criticism, expectancy of evil, matter-based logic about our vision and our age.

Think of the value of the qualities akin to sight. Insight, exercised in a business deal or in our relationship with others, tells us the wise choice to make or the right path to take. Foresight can provide specific and needed know-how before a step is taken. Hindsight, with its lessons learned from looking back, helps us to judge our progress or to see how our motives or intents can be improved.

Our capacity to see, to perceive, is one of our most precious functions. Let's think scientifically about it. Let's treat ourselves to the highest concept of sight. Christian Science enables us to do this, to identify sight spiritually, and neither to entertain nor voice any evil predictions concerning it. Let's see, too, that no limiting prophecy or law about sight or self can be fulfilled in our experience.

Instead we can claim the benediction voiced by Christ Jesus in these liberating words: "Blessed are your eyes, for they see."^{Matt. 13:16.}