Article February 2, 2009 Issue

FREE FROM LIMITATIONS

MARIA ELVIRA DRUMMOND,—BELO HORIZONTE-MG, BRAZIL

I LOVE THE INSIGHTS that Christian Science has given me about womanhood! As Science and Health declares, "Man and woman as coexistent and eternal with God forever reflect, in glorified quality, the infinite Father-Mother God" (p. 516). This conclusion has given me a spiritual foundation for discerning my true identity as God's child—and for claiming in my life the equality that belongs naturally to womanhood.

Despite significant progress in Brazil toward acknowledging the rights of women, I find there is still a large gap between the ideal standard and the attitudes one sometimes encounters. But the truths of Christian Science have helped me overcome gender discrimination, especially when I became a widow and unfair perceptions directed toward me tried to limit my opportunities and abilities.

As I began this new period in my life, I also deeply considered this Bible passage: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Gen. 1:27). The idea that, spiritually speaking, each of us is as perfect and good as God, our Creator, brings tremendous freedom. I saw that I didn't need to fear or accept any sort of mistaken assumptions about myself or my gender, and I began regularly affirming the eternal qualities that were mine through reflection of the Divine: intelligence, ability, courage, strength, originality, diligence, and so on. Indeed, these qualities already belonged to me, but it was time for me to become more fully conscious of them.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

THE TRUE STORY ABOUT ME