Testimony of Healing April 19, 1993 Issue

Having loved and studied Christian Science for over fifty...

Helen Swanson Ruhl

Having loved and studied Christian Science for over fifty years, I have come to rely on it for all my needs. When traveling, for instance, I have found that genuine smiles, gratitude, and kind words transcend language barriers and are usually returned in like manner. I have had many opportunities to put into practice the truth of this line from the Lord's Prayer: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Mary Baker Eddy spiritually interpreted this: "And Love is reflected in love. ..."

One specific proof of this arose not long ago when I took a work-related trip to a country that has been in great turmoil. Since we had been forewarned to be cautious and to guard our money, I wore a money belt around my waist, under my skirt or slacks. One morning when our group of seven left our hotel, a legless man came wheeling through the crowd on a board, directly toward me; he patted me on the stomach right over my money belt. I was momentarily frightened, as he had a menacing look on his face. We hurried toward a waiting limousine. But before I could get in, I felt a severe blow to the small of my back. The man had followed me and struck me with the wood block he used to propel himself on the board. For a moment there was excruciating pain. With help I managed to get into the car. As I looked out at the man from the limousine, all I could feel for him was a deep sense of compassion. Suddenly those words "And Love is reflected in love" came to me, and I forgave that man completely.

Within a few minutes the terrible pain was entirely gone. I was so grateful to have been able to see that anger and hate were no part of that man, nor of me, because no child of God can express such erroneous ungodlike qualities. We were both actually created by the one Father, loved, whole, free. I forgot about the incident until a couple of days later when a glimpse of my back showed only a slight bruise, which disappeared shortly.

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