Editorial January 11, 1993 Issue

Problems ... the opportunity for solutions

William E. Moody

It's often common usage today to refer to "problems" as something negative, annoying, burdensome, even agonizing at times. People speak of problems at work, or problems with their children or their marriage, or health problems. Yet, inherently, the word problem can also suggest something quite positive: a solution.

In mathematics, one tackles a problem both looking for and expecting a solution. What kind of a mathematician would someone be who simply threw his hands up (or threw down his pencil, or shut off the computer) every time he was presented with a problem! His very work is oriented toward solving problems, not running or hiding from them, or hoping they will go away. In fact, one dictionary defines problem not only as "a question proposed for solution" but also, in mathematics, as "anything that is required to be done." The mathematician welcomes opportunities to prove what he has learned, or even to chart new territory in unexplored areas of his particular field.

The Christian Scientist also looks for opportunities to prove what he has learned. His life is devoted largely to understanding the reality of God, infinite Mind; to realizing God's natural goodness and all-power; and to demonstrating the truth of God's creation, including man as His spiritual image and likeness. The demonstration of this truth is made practical through healing sickness and defeating sin. Christian Scientists, of course, like everyone else, face all sorts of challenges in their lives. Yet the example of Christ Jesus and his early disciples gives Christians something to strive for, something to encourage their efforts and inspire success in overcoming the limitations and frailties of human experience.

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