Article October 17, 1983 Issue

An exchange that heals

RICHARD C. BROOKINS

Most of the world's economy is based on the exchange of goods and services or their symbols, in order to satisfy human needs. A common exchange is a day's work in return for a paycheck. Another common exchange is the surrender of the paycheck for money and the money for food products. We easily recognize that an exchange, in order to be useful and valid, must fulfill both the condition of surrender and the condition of acceptance.

Let's take a simple example. You have an orange and I have an apple. We agree to exchange them. Now, we can talk about the exchange for endless hours, we can pray for guidance about it, we can seek expert advice from others. All of these may be reasonable courses of action. But we have not yet made an exchange. The exchange is made only when you have given up your orange and have accepted my apple. Both actions are necessary to effect an exchange.

There is another kind of exchange found in the practice of Christian metaphysics. In practicing Christian Science it is often necessary to make an exchange—not an even exchange, like my apple for your orange that has similar value, but a surrendering of one thing in favor of something else that is of spiritual value. Speaking of the transformation of human consciousness needed if we are to "inherit the kingdom of God," the Apostle Paul said, "This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."^{I Cor. 15:50, 53.} This kind of exchange is a giving up of false beliefs depicting man as discordant, painful, sinful, in favor of the truth that man is spiritual and perfect.