Article February 9, 1987 Issue

Conflicts—resolved spiritually

Is there really such a thing as impartial justice? Is there a way to find solutions without intensifying conflict?

Muriel Smythe Clawson

Before Christ Jesus fed the multitude, the Bible tells us, he looked up to heaven and prayed, blessing God, and divided the loaves and fishes. He turned first to God, knowing that God, Spirit, is the true source of supply. Then he fed everyone, but he did not take away from some in order to give to others. All ate and all were filled, and there was plenty left over. What a sense of abundance!

Speaking of this incident, Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health: "In the scientific relation of God to man, we find that whatever blesses one blesses all, as Jesus showed with the loaves and the fishes,—Spirit, not matter, being the source of supply." ^{Science and Health, p. 206.} But suppose what we need is not food but the solution to a problem, and suppose our concept of the solution conflicts with others' opinions of it. How do we solve that?

We can still follow Jesus' example. When we are faced with a conflict, we can first pray to God. Then we can be grateful for the spiritual ideas and intuitions that come to us. These spiritual ideas lead to solutions that can bless all concerned.

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