Article March 4, 1985 Issue

Indestructible childlikeness, innocent maturity

BARBARA COOK

"All of God's creatures, moving in the harmony of Science, are harmless, useful, indestructible," ^{ Science and Health, p. 514.} writes Mary Baker Eddy in Science and Health. This, of course, is not a relative statement, but an absolute, scientific one, and it describes the spiritual and only real creation. Reasoning from the basis of this statement, it is possible to conclude that in Spirit, indestructibility and harmlessness are universal and inseparable. The precious qualities inherent in genuine childlikeness, for example, such as humbleness, innocence, purity, trust, obedience, could never actually be separated from the qualities inherent in the harmless maturity that typifies God's man, qualities such as wisdom, power, understanding, consistency. Therefore, in reality, childlikeness is never the gullible or vulnerable state suggested by the material senses. Nor is maturity a crossing over from innocence to treachery and predation.

It is of the greatest importance today, in light of ever-increasing reports of child and animal abuse, that humanity gain a sense of both childlikeness and maturity as expressing divine Mind, Spirit, not as mere states of mortal mind or matter. Only when seen spiritually can childlikeness and maturity be understood to be limitless—simultaneously present and never in conflict anywhere in creation.

Is it justified to discuss the healing of both child and animal abuse at the same time? Yes. Physical and mental abuse of children really begins with the abuse of childlike qualities, and with the misunderstanding and misuse of the qualities of maturity. Genuinely deep healing requires that we penetrate shallow mortal classifications, requires the impartial support of all that is truly childlike, wherever expressed. The effort to honor and live this childlikeness, the refusal to humiliate or take advantage of the obedience, gentle trust, and innocence of any creature under any circumstances—this commitment would immediately begin to reverse the seeming tide of aggression toward children. If we give the true qualities of childlikeness weight in our thinking, they will carry weight in the world.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Nuclear holocaust: it's not inevitable