The cost of living is generally taken to mean the amount that has to be paid or given in exchange for the things believed to be necessary to sustain human life—namely, food, clothing, and shelter. But opinions are so varied in regard to these essentials, some demanding for their comfort what others would consider luxuries, that one may well stop to consider what is true living and what the cost thereof.

Christ Jesus said, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Clearly, then, eternal life or true living means knowing the truth about God through the Christ, Truth. When Truth and Love, which are synonymous with God, divine Mind, are expressed in human lives, such living in a measure reflects divine Life.

Our great Master, who through the purity of his human life so faithfully expressed divine Life, proved on many occasions that no material consideration could for a moment obscure his vision of harmonious living. Knowing that joy is of God, he dispelled fear of limitation and brought harmony to the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee. Assured of limitless Mind's inexhaustible supply, with overflowing measure he fed multitudes in the face of human conviction of hopeless insufficiency. On another occasion he satisfied the demand for tribute money in a manner that pointed to Love's infinite resources at hand to save and to bless.

By the miraculous draft of fishes, Jesus showed mortals that even though they have "toiled all the night" on the sea of material beliefs "and have taken nothing," still they cannot be deprived of the fruits of honest labor if they will but obey the leadings of Truth. Into such a state of consciousness, where spiritual things alone are seen to be substantial, so-called mortal mind or animal magnetism, with its aggressive suggestions of discouragement and failure, cannot penetrate, for it has no abiding place in reality.

Jesus, who so freely ministered to the material needs of others, never lacked the necessaries for himself; and yet, taking no thought for the morrow, he could hardly have given a moment's consideration to the amassing of material things beyond his immediate needs. For him, the objects of material sense must have been valueless, save in so far as they served to symbolize man's reflected abundance and to show that God's will is done in earth as in heaven.

The thought of giving up "great possessions" caused one young man who sought Jesus to turn away sorrowful. Was it the illusory value of such possessions that seemed temporarily to arrest his spiritual progress? Was it the love of worldly power and prestige that obscured his full appreciation of spiritual treasures?

Christian Science teaches that God, Spirit, Mind, alone knows; that the opposite, the carnal or mortal mind, so called, knows nothing real, and is therefore altogether ignorant of spiritual values; and further, that this supposititious mind or material consciousness depends entirely on its own subjective state, namely, on matter, for evidence of its supposed existence, thereby falsely attributing power to matter as supposedly controlling man and holding in itself the issues of life and death. This false valuation of matter, which is ever parading itself before human experience, opens the door to fear, greed, and discontent. It begets the inordinate desire for material possessions—wealth, fame, and power, for which men sacrifice their health, their peace of mind—yea, their very lives; and it has often resulted in wars between nations and in discords in families and communities. Life on the false basis of matter becomes an unceasing effort to possess matter; and the cost thereof is shown forth in sin, disease, and death.

Christian Science teaches that spiritual qualities are real and substantial, ever present, and available in unlimited degree for each and all to use, and that man, God's idea, being forever complete, is always endowed with the ability constantly to reflect all such qualities. Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 507), "Spirit duly feeds and clothes every object, as it appears in the line of spiritual creation, thus tenderly expressing the fatherhood and motherhood of God." Scientifically speaking, want never really arises, the supply for Mind's ideas being always present.

Expressing the spiritual qualities of intelligence, joy, gentleness, meekness, courage, loyalty, perseverance, helpfulness, and all that the word "love" stands for, one cannot be in need or want, for these qualities constitute spiritual supply. As applied to human experience, such qualities are recognized and rewarded in ways that supply the needs of mortals.

A Bible narrative tells how once a widowed mother, fearful lest nothing short of the surrender of her children as bondmen would satisfy the exactions of a relentless creditor, turned in her distress to Elisha. The prophet asked her, "What hast thou in the house?" She replied that there was nothing "save a pot of oil." The spiritual significance of this narrative is beautifully illumined when studied in the light of Mrs. Eddy's spiritual interpretation of oil (ibid., p. 592): "Oil. Consecration; charity; gentleness; prayer; heavenly inspiration." This widow learned that the oil in her house, when put to active use, was ample for the immediate solution of her problem of living.

Does the way seem difficult for us, or does the supply of good seem to have dwindled or to be temporarily withheld from us? Then let us ask ourselves, What have we in our home, in our mental home? We can give only from what we have in our store. Are we allowing grief, discouragement, resentment, or self-pity so to occupy our thoughts that our store of oil is reduced, as it were, to one pot, and that even what we have we are neglecting to use or share?

The Christian Scientist knows that any seemingly adverse circumstance or limiting condition will not be improved by accepting it as real. He recognizes the real man as the perfect idea of the one perfect Mind, from which source, "without money and without price," he is continually receiving good alone. He knows that far more of good is present than he has yet realized, and that he lives in keeping constantly active in thought and deed the good of which he has become conscious, through his ever growing understanding of Life, Truth, and Love. Thus he replaces thoughts of discouragement with hope and expectation of good, unthankfulness with gratitude, destructive criticism with loyalty to Truth, indifference with desire to serve. He knows that by watching, praying, practicing, he can perform his tasks wherever he may be, independently of circumstances, persons, place, or things. Some have solved their problems in a fiery furnace, in a lions' den, in kings' palaces, in humble homes, in a wilderness.

In the Sermon on the Mount the Master dealt with the question of the cost of living in such a way as to leave no doubt concerning the right solution: "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ... But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Christian Science is showing the world to-day that Christ Jesus' teachings are essentially practical and applicable to daily living, and that thereby men may claim spiritual dominion over every material condition. Our Leader has written (ibid., pp. 517, 518): "Divine Love blesses its own ideas, and causes them to multiply,—to manifest His power. Man is not made to till the soil. His birthright is dominion, not subjection. He is lord of the belief in earth and heaven,—himself subordinate alone to his Maker. This is the Science of being."

Spiritualization of thought brings consciousness into obedience to God, divine Principle; and one's methods and actions, thus divinely governed, are assured of success.