Article March 30, 1987 Issue

What are we cherishing?

Christian healing grows out of our obedience to the "two great commandments." That means taking a closer look at what and how we are loving.

Wayne L. Bart

It is nearly impossible to watch television, listen to the radio, or read a newspaper or magazine these days without having one's attention focused on the question of health. While each of us should be interested in good health, much of what we see and hear leaves anxiety, confusion, and doubt in its wake. We are warned of the symptoms and prevalence of various diseases, of the dangers of eating certain foods or of not eating others, of too little or too much exercise.

A much more effective approach is exemplified in the life of Christ Jesus, who, the Gospels tell us, healed "all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people."^{Matt. 4:23.} Frequently the Master encouraged those he helped or healed to not be afraid, as when he raised from the dead the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue.^{See Luke 8:49–56.} Illustrating the fact that God is Love, Jesus assured his followers of God's readiness and willingness to restore harmony, saying, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."^{Luke 12:32.}

An understanding of divine Love was central to Jesus' healing works. God, divine Love, "casteth out fear,"^{I John 4:18.} to use the Bible's words. In Mrs. Eddy's search to understand the healings Jesus did, she was led to see why casting out fear is so important. She writes in her book Science and Health: "The procuring cause and foundation of all sickness is fear, ignorance, or sin. Disease is always induced by a false sense mentally entertained, not destroyed. Disease is an image of thought externalized. The mental state is called a material state. Whatever is cherished in mortal mind as the physical condition is imaged forth on the body."^{Science and Health, p. 411.}