All those frogs—gone
We began to think of the economy as the continuous supplying of good from God.
Life Was Great. We were coasting along, happy and undisturbed. Our needs were being comfortably met, and we even had treats once in a while. But suddenly, some of the big problems in the world began to touch our lives in ways we'd never expected. Failing economy. Downsizing. Age discrimination. We faced insecurity, financial trouble, unemployment. Definitely, no more treats. In addition, a daughter returned home needing financial support.
A plague had come on our family's wellbeing, just as miserable as the infestation of frogs that plagued Egypt long ago when the country's leader refused to release the Hebrew people from slavery. The Bible tells about the frogs in the book of Exodus: "And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed" (8:3 ). It was a prediction that came to pass. The financial troubles that were plaguing us seemed like those frogs.
Trying to ignore them or hide from them didn't help. But some guidance on how to pray did: "The counter fact relative to any disease is required to cure it" (Science and Health, p. 233 ). To me, this applies not only to physical disease but to financial disease as well. A counterfact corrects something that purports to be a fact, but isn't. There's a spiritual counterfact—something to be thought—with which to solve our problems. Disease—dis-ease—of any nature is opposite evidence of the fact that we are God's loved children, always under God's care and protection.
In the case of our family, we began to see that understanding God's complete authority in each one of our lives was the counterfact we needed to cure our financial "plague."
Since our finances—our personal economy—seemed to be out balance, we searched for a more spiritual understanding of what economics means. An economy is a system that ideally produces a balance between supply and demand. So, we began to think of the economy as the continuous supplying of good from God to His creation. And we trusted that understanding this counterfact would result in an adjustment of any financial imbalance.
Jesus proved that God can help people when there's a deficit in their life. When he needed food for thousands of people, the small amount of fish and bread that his disciples presented to him became enough to feed them all (see Matt. 14:14–21). When wine was needed at a wedding feast, water was turned not just into OK wine, but into the best wine (see John 2:1–11).
God's economy is a natural state of well-being—a perfect balance between supply and demand. And it's regulated by divine law. The divine Mind supplies the ideas and answers when something in our life needs changing or doing.
Our family trusted that unemployment and lack could be counteracted with good activity and sufficiency. As children of God, we could only be serving, deserving members of society. The Bible states that "the labourer is worthy of his hire" (Luke 10:7 ). The worker deserves his or her wages.
A peaceful anticipation of good took over. Ideas began coming.
We saw that if the counterfacts of unemployment are activity and productivity, our duty was to be receptive to God's answers. By reflecting the qualities of God, we were living our prayer for more of God's goodness. As we expressed loveliness and honesty, integrity and earnestness, right activity and motivation, we were reflecting and glorifying God.
A peaceful anticipation of good took over. Ideas began coming to us. We learned, for example, that the owners of two related home-based businesses had been looking for buyers. If we could take them over and combine them, they would provide us with adequate income. The owners said we could name our own terms and that no down payment would be required. At subsequent meetings with the sellers, we were so aware of God's love and protection that we think every point that might have blocked our way was removed.
We were able to buy both of the businesses, and within a few weeks we were delivering welcome baskets to our new customers.
God was taking care of everyone's needs. These words came to mind: "In the scientific relation of God to man, we find that whatever blesses one blesses all, as Jesus showed with the loaves and the fishes,—Spirit, not matter, being the source of supply" (Science and Health, p. 206 ). Whatever blesses one blesses all! What a thought! God had met our needs and had also supplied a long-awaited solution for the two sellers.
Our family economy was balanced again. All those frogs disappeared.
