Who can look at recent scenes of violence in some American cities and not feel deeply stirred? Many people may long to do something about simmering urban problems. But they may not live in the affected communities. Or they may think that just one person can't make much difference anyway. So they uneasily turn away from the problem and hope things get better.

Yet there is something each one of us can do to help. No matter how complex or hopeless the challenges facing humanity seem to be, they can be solved. Finding solutions begins with the individual, with you and me. And unselfish, Christly love is the remedy. Christian Science, with its emphasis on the teachings of Christ Jesus, shows that it is the irresistible Christ-love, expressing the power of God, divine Love, that humanity needs today.

Every time you and I bring harmony to a discordant situation or truly forgive an injustice; every time we love in the face of hate; every time we realize that man's true being is actually God's spiritual reflection, not a victimized or sinful mortal, we are doing a very important part in defusing violence in the community at large. Why? Because the world's challenges are the culmination of unresolved individual problems and differences.

The ability to express kindness, compassion, forgiveness, does not belong to a chosen few. It is natural to all of us, since everyone's real being is the reflection of inexhaustible divine Love.

Regardless of what our occuption may be, our real reason for being is to bear witness to our loving Father, God, to express toward our fellow beings—whether living next door to us or in another country—the love God is unconditionally pouring out to all His children. Of course, it is challenging to love people when they're acting selfish, irresponsible, or even hateful. But loving others is not something we are to do only when it's easy or when we feel like it. Jesus asked his followers to express the divine nature day in and day out. He taught, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." We have a divine right to experience peace; but at the same time we have a duty to help make peace. And we can do both as we pray to replace the picture of an erring, sensual man with the spiritual and perfect man that Christ Jesus illustrated through his healing works.

"There's no doubt that more Christly love and peace in the world would help a lot right now," someone may say. "But can one person really make a difference?" Decidedly so. There is encouragement in this Bible verse from the book of James: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

A small experience I had several months ago bears this out. I had gone back to a repair shop to pick up a household item, and had no sooner walked in when I knew there was trouble. The owner was extremely drunk; and in addition to abusing his two helpers verbally, he was slamming merchandise around. The situation worsened when he discovered that the item to be repaired hadn't been touched. At first, I offered to come back another day, my one thought being to get out of there as soon as possible. But the owner of the store grew belligerent and insisted that I wait for him to repair the machine. To my dismay, his two helpers had to leave, since it was closing time. As one woman went reluctantly out the door to catch her ride home, she turned and looked at me as if to say, "I wish I didn't have to leave you alone with this man." I can say, however, that I wasn't afraid for my own safety, and I felt confident that God was present with us.

Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health: "The testimony of the material senses is neither absolute nor divine. I therefore plant myself unreservedly on the teachings of Jesus, of his apostles, of the prophets, and on the testimony of the Science of Mind. Other foundations there are none."

I had been thinking intently about this statement that very morning, and I credit it with helping to resolve what could have been an ugly situation. While the man began the repair work, I sat down in a corner and prayed earnestly to see beyond what the material senses were saying about him—to see his true nature. The atmosphere in the shop began to change. In less than half an hour, the man started opening up about his financial worries. Business was off greatly, he didn't know how long he could hold on to his store, and so on. This confiding brought out a feeling of compassion in me, and by the time the work was completed, things had so changed he insisted on carrying the item to my car. "I can easily manage," I assured him, but he wouldn't hear of it. Through heartfelt prayer, anger and rudeness had become gentlemanliness and goodwill!

The Bible teaches the sure way to realize harmony in all our relationships. It reveals in the very first chapter the fact that God made man in His own image and that He pronounced all that He created to be very good. There's no better starting point for placing relationships on a firm basis.

Whatever the causes of society's misunderstandings and quarrels, the antidote is found in conforming to the divine standard brought out by the Master, who urged upon us the necessity to love one another. "A fine ideal," someone may be thinking. "But I'm not sure I can really do this. I'm not good at dealing with anger and disrespect in others. People can be so irritating!"

Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health, "When we realize that there is one Mind, the divine law of loving our neighbor as ourselves is unfolded; whereas a belief in many ruling minds hinders man's normal drift towards the one Mind, one God, and leads human thought into opposite channels where selfishness reigns."

We can do a lot to help promote healing in the world by realizing that there really is only one Mind, which man reflects, and that the traits causing conflict and violence are no part of anyone's genuine, God-created selfhood. God is completely good and made all. Remembering that even the worst wrong conduct and hostility do not belong to God's man enables us to look beyond appearances. This empowers us with the Christly view of man which the Way-shower had. And this view defuses inflamed feelings.

The Bible, in I Peter, counsels us, "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethern, be pitiful, be courteous." Doing this gives us a concrete part in healing hate and unhappiness. Taking the time each day to pray from the standpoint of only one Mind, and living the love that comes from the one Mind, from divine Love, bring God's healing power to bear on the fear and anger in our own surroundings. And through this Christlike action, we contribute solidly to world harmony and progress.