Article August 2, 1982 Issue

Progress: the privilege of all

JACK V. SMITH

One day a Christian Scientist was asked by a friend how he had come into his religion. He replied that he had been born into a family of Christian Scientists. His friend seemed genuinely impressed with this fact; and in discussing this further with her, he realized that she felt he "had it made" in Christian Science, that somehow he had inherited some special ability. The inference was that since he was born and raised in Christian Science, everything would come his way with little or no effort. The Scientist quickly corrected that mistaken concept!

He made it quite clear that any good he had accomplished or any healing he had experienced was the result of hard, consistent study and application of Christian Science, and that sometimes he had needed the loving help of a Christian Science practitioner. No special dispensation from God was involved. The erroneous belief is sometimes held that those born and raised in Christian Science are automatically better qualified and have better healings than those who come into Science in their later years. Not true!

Certainly, those who have studied Christian Science from early childhood may have reaped many years of harmonious and healthy living. They will have experienced in some measure God's guidance and the protection and sustenance that come with the understanding and application of Christian Science—no question about it. The point is, even if we come into Christian Science in the later years, success in healing and a more harmonious life from that point on are gained as the truths we are learning are lived. Let's look at Christ Jesus' parable of the man who owned the vineyard and needed workers.^{See Matt. 20:1-14 .}

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