Test every thought

Profound questions help students think deeply, discovering new insights and powerful truths. This week’s Bible Lesson titled “Matter” poses at least 33 such questions! All of them require us to choose our answers carefully, and then live those answers. The Lesson opens with these words in the Golden Text: “Thou art my portion, O Lord” (Psalms 119:57 ). The Contemporary English Version translates: “You, Lord, are my choice.” Choosing God, Spirit, as the basis of all that’s true, we see that matter, with its burdens and limitations, is totally false and powerless. The Lesson then urges us to test every thought and situation that comes to us. “Beloved, ... try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (I John 4:1 , Responsive Reading).

To aid us in this testing process, all but one section of this Lesson has a pointed question as its first citation from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.

For instance, here’s the opening Science and Health question in Section 3: “Can Deity be almighty, if another mighty and self-creative cause exists and sways mankind?” (p. 357 , citation 9). What a story we’re given to illustrate the futility of trusting material human strength over God’s power! After her healing of barrenness, Samson’s mother consecrated him to God as a Nazarite (see Judges 13–16). This dedicated life is described in Numbers 6, and carried with it three main conditions: not drinking wine or other intoxicants, not going near a dead body, and not cutting one’s hair. One of God’s gifts to Samson was incredible strength. But because of Samson’s uncontrolled passion (unbecoming of a Nazarite), instead of freeing the Israelites from the Philistines, his battles stemmed from his involvements with Philistine women. Ultimately, his moral weakness with the temptress Delilah revealed his belief that his strength depended on his never-cut hair. When his locks were shorn, his strength was gone.

What a contrast between Samson’s reliance on muscles and superstition and the book of Isaiah’s promise, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” (40:31 , cit. 13), and on the choice presented in Science and Health: “Obedience to Truth gives man power and strength. Submission to error superinduces loss of power” (p. 183 , cit. 11). 

The opening question from Science and Health in Section 4 is: “Which institutes Life,—matter or Mind?” (p. 531 , cit. 15). The writer(s) of Psalm 27 and 23 found a powerful sense of peace and safety in their understanding that we actually live in God—“dwell in the house of the Lord” (27:4 , cit. 15; 23:6 , cit. 16). Even in the face of malicious attacks and the proximity of death, the reality of life in Spirit brings freedom from fear and assurance of progress.

Section 5 answers the question of where intelligence is found (hint: not in the brain!). And in Section 6, ten lepers appeal to Jesus for mercy. Instead of merely pitying them or suggesting a soothing salve found in Gilead commonly used for wounds (see Jeremiah 8:22 , cit. 20), he heals them through his understanding of life and health forever maintained in Spirit. As Jesus says to one who is glorifying God after his healing, “Thy faith hath made thee whole” (Luke 17:19 , cit. 22).

The questions in this Lesson demand that we grapple with the very essence of what is real. What a joy to see the progression from this question in Science and Health in Section 1, “If Spirit is all and is everywhere, what and where is matter?” (p. 223 , cit. 1) to its ultimate answer in Section 7, “God, Spirit, being all, nothing is matter” (p. 113 , cit. 29).