ALWAYS A WAY FORWARD

STEVE GRAHAM, SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR

"It's a big competition for a small chance at success!" That's pretty much what one man said to Jesus. He was discouraged and thought he was going nowhere. In his case, he'd been physically impaired for almost 40 years, and thought he had to be the first one into the pool of Bethesda in order to be healed by its waters. But somebody always got there first. Nobody would help him.

"Get up and walk right where you are!" That's pretty much what Jesus told the man. But those were far from empty or heartless words. Along with them came empowerment. Advancement. Freedom. The man got up and walked, immediately. No need to wait to get in that pool (see John 5:2-9).

There just may be a lesson in this for the hundreds of thousands of people who are facing job cuts and layoffs. These days, the pool they're trying to get into is the job pool. Unemployment threatens to make them feel a bit like that man Jesus encountered—in this case, competing with a growing number of other individuals for a limited, shrinking number of jobs. Perhaps immobilized by discouragement and fear, doubtful that there's any help.

The message of this week's Sentinel is that there absolutely is a way forward. God's Christ—His message of good that speaks to us all—is assuring us that we don't have to go anywhere from here, or wait for a time other than now, to recognize that He employs every one of His sons and daughters, by giving us the ability to express Him completely, uniquely, without interruption. As you'll see, this transformed, Christly concept of employment offers more than empty words. You'll read about how it has calmed and inspired people in search of work, and led them to find meaningful, gainful employment. As Keith Wommack writes in our lead article on page 7, "There is light that can break through this dark view. ... When God takes the lead in an employment search, wonderful things do happen."

WHAT I SAY UNTO YOU I SAY UNTO ALL, WATCH.—Jesus

The Christian Science Sentinel was founded in 1898 by Mary Baker Eddy, and its mission remains the same: "to hold guard over Truth, Life, and Love." The Sentinel continues to report on the unlimited ways that the healing power and presence of the Christ activates, uplifts, and transforms the lives of everyday people around the world.

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