Article September 1, 2013

The providence of Love

Originally published in the 1911 pamphlet titled “The Providence of Good”

All Christians accept the statement of Paul that "the gift of God is eternal life," albeit the most devout believers have known the difficulties of "earning a living." If life is a gift, it is not something to be earned, yet we see that a man is not fulfilling the simplest duty of his present existence unless he is useful, doing his share of good work in the world. Christian Scientists are beginning to solve the whole riddle of the painful earth by laying heartily hold of Principle as expressed in Jesus' words: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." In the light of this scientific truth they are untangling the raveled sleave of care and beholding the orderly web of use and beauty knit fair and whole.

The scientific process of demonstrating that God sustains man and provides for him begins in many cases with the resolve not to be afraid. Back of our anxieties and efforts in this matter of earning a living is a fear of death, fear lest we shall not be able to earn the living for ourselves or others. Before they have risen to discern the absolute fact as stated by Jesus, "Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die," Christian Scientists have taken a mental stand against "the slings and arrows" of human experience in the fact that eternal life—the God-given life —is never touched by the vicissitudes of so-called mortal life.

Emerson quotes with approbation a phrase of hardy manhood in an old drama. When threatened by a captor who says, "It is in my power to hang you," the bold one replies, "It is in my power to be hanged to scorn you." When we reach the place where we will not mentally knuckle under to "outrageous fortune" of whatever sort, certain that our spiritual life is superior to the seeming material life, its demands and dangers, we suddenly find that we are demonstrating this as true in our outward experience. The "signs" follow, as Jesus promised. Fear is destroyed, depression vanishes, and normal joy in action begins to flow in. A new pleasure and exhilaration is found even in the commonest tasks. We are now reversing the old order. Instead of working to live, we begin to see that we live to work. Work—useful activity—is the natural expression of our God-given powers, and our pleasure is in their exercise.

Send a comment to the editors