Article March 30, 1929 Issue

The Worth of True Living

HOPE AUSTIN

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." These strengthening words, found in Isaiah, arrest the attention of the traveler along human ways and experiences, whether he is just beginning to detect the hollowness of mere material pursuits or, perchance, has already perceived that human promises often remain unfulfilled. What assurance of happiness the material senses presented, in a seemingly attractive and appealing light! But where is the abiding love, the joy, the peace, the confidence, the contentment they so winsomely promised?

Here is a ray of hope, however. Perhaps, after all, thinks this traveler, though human promises have led, by either straight or winding pathway, to defeat and failure, it can be proved that "God's promises are kept." Has it been because one's obedience has mostly been to the things of the flesh rather than to the things of Spirit, that disaster has so often resulted? Was it because good was not dominant in our thoughts that the promises bestowed no lasting bounty? At least the traveler will do as the Scriptures bid him do—reason on the question.

Searching in Christian Science for light on this subject, one finds that Mary Baker Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 492), "For right reasoning there should be but one fact before the thought, namely, spiritual existence." In the endeavor, then, to base one's reasoning correctly, one must accept, and hold to, true concepts of God. Whatever one's concept of God, one knows it to be something higher than mortality; and one knows that in turning to God, however gropingly, he is turning from a false sense of self. Whereas before, "I" and "you" and "we" loomed large in thought, now the personal sense of things commences to fade out somewhat, as one halts this kind of thinking with the true concept of God. If, many times a day, the old mortal reasoning seeks to wedge in and gain ground; if the material senses seem to insist upon receiving attention by presenting their old arguments, just so often can one, with all the authority of man's God-given right, deny their power to act or operate. One can rejoice a little more each day, as one makes more room for God, good, in his thinking. Little by little, under this procedure, the errors that would tangle and harass human relationships steadily yield to the increasing habit of giving God the glory, bringing thought into true captivity to Christ, Truth.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

The Worth of True Living

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access