Article October 16, 1978 Issue

For the convenience of some readers we will occasionally print an article in large type.

Keeping the perfect model

JUDITH ANN HARDY

In selecting marbled tile for a white floor, a friend of mine noticed a great degree of variegation among the individual tiles: some were almost white, others were virtually gray. The distributor told him he could come to the warehouse and choose the whiter tiles from the next shipment. When the tiles arrived, my friend examined each one, tossing those that looked white enough into a separate pile. Some time later he noticed that grayer and grayer tiles had slipped in, until his pile almost matched the pile of rejects. There was only one thing to do. Start over! This time he first selected the whitest tile he could find and put it right in front of him as a model. In a short time he had enough tiles for his floor.

So it is with us. Only when we are holding constantly in the forefront of our thought the pure image of spiritual man as our model can we consistently recognize and discard every "gray" or ungodlike thought. Without this clearly visible model our thinking can become dingy with material views.

This happened to me. So subtly and gradually had the imperfect mortal model blurred my spirituality that I wasn't even aware of it, until in great need I turned to God. I found that doubt and discouragement were obscuring the perfect model of spiritual man I needed to see. Then I remembered my friend's tile experience and Mrs. Eddy's statement about a boa constrictor: "Holding the right idea of man in my mind, I can improve my own, and other people's individuality, health, and morals; whereas, the opposite image of man, a sinner, kept constantly in mind, can no more improve health or morals, than holding in thought the form of a boa-constrictor can aid an artist in painting a landscape."^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 62;}