Article November 14, 1988 Issue

Expecting only good?

There is a spiritual basis from which we can look forward each day to being good and receiving good—and this is especially important when we're welcoming a new child to the family.

Joseph A. Benedict, Jr.

An acquaintance of mine recently told me that her philosophy in life is to expect the worst, and then any good that might come along would be considered a pleasant bonus. One might wonder how much good can come to anyone who is expecting the worst! Can this kind of expectancy help promote harmony and joy, peace and health?

Christ Jesus taught that God alone is good. When speaking to an inquirer, the Master said, "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments."^{Matt. 19:17.}

In line with Jesus' teaching about God, Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health: "The Scriptures declare all that He made to be good, like Himself,—good in Principle and in idea. Therefore the spiritual universe is good, and reflects God as He is."^{Science and Health, p. 286.} Christian Science reveals God as All-in-all, the one and only creator, supreme and infinite Principle, Mind. Since God is All, there can be no other power, presence, or intelligence. As we come to see clearly the allness, the completeness, and the complete goodness of God, Spirit, we will progressively realize and demonstrate the powerlessness of evil, or error. So, far from being merely a positive attitude where one convinces himself to dwell on what seems good and ignore bad happenings or circumstances, Christian Science teaches us to see good as the actual nature of God Himself and to use this spiritual understanding to overcome sin.