The True Standard

HAZEL HARPER HARRIS

THE proverb, "Comparisons are odious," may have grown out of the tendency of men to compare themselves with one another or with standards that they themselves have set up, instead of looking to the standard set forth in the Bible. In the first chapter of Genesis the standard by which man was created is given in these words: "God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; ... And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."

In the Ten Commandments, Moses recorded the standard for human behavior which was revealed to him. The first four commandments show what is required of men in their relation to God; and the last six set forth what is required in the relations between fellow men.

Standards for weights and measures and the amount of bullion to be minted in its coins are established by each country. In the United States of America the Bureau of Standards and Weights establishes a standard for the constructing and measuring instruments in general use by scientific societies, educational institutions, manufacturers, and others. For instance, a standard yard is agreed upon and must be adhered to by merchants. How much more important it is to conform our thinking to the standard which Christ Jesus revealed!

The Way-shower exemplified the true standard for mankind. In his Sermon on the Mount he enumerated the spiritual qualities of the citizens of the kingdom of heaven and the blessings attendant upon those who measure up to this divine standard. He concluded one part of his discourse with the command, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Jesus showed us how to measure up to this standard in all the activities of daily life. When it was required, he paid the tax money promptly; he clothed the man whom he first healed of insanity; he kept the Passover, made provision for his mother, on several occasions provided food for his disciples and others, and went to Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus had died. In the performance of these various human activities he exercised divine authority, getting the tax money from the fish's mouth, selecting a place for the passover, providing fish and bread for the disciples when they were discouraged, and raising Lazarus from the dead.

In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, says (p. 470): "The standard of perfection was originally God and man;" and in the next paragraph she continues, "God is the creator of man, and, the divine Principle of man remaining perfect, the divine idea or reflection, man, remains perfect."

Since God made man in His own likeness, man possesses by reflection all the spiritual qualities of God, such as honesty, contentment, mercy, judgment, and purity. If at any time we withhold one of these qualities from our concept of man by believing, for instance, in the reality of dishonesty, instead of honesty, we are not obeying Paul's injunction, "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." When we hold our thought of man to the perfect standard, we have fulfilled the law of God, and are not liable to the confusion that comes from using false standards.

A Christian Science treatment consists in realizing the truth about a given situation and in lifting thought to this standard. Jesus commanded the man with the withered hand to stretch forth his hand; that is, he lifted thought to the perfect standard, and the immediate effect of this spiritualized consciousness was evidenced in healing.

On page 492 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says: "Being is holiness, harmony, immortality. It is already proved that a knowledge of this, even in small degree, will uplift the physical and moral standard of mortals, will increase longevity, will purify and elevate character." Christian Science is giving us this knowledge and is raising the standard of thinking and living of each individual who practices its teachings. As individuals, our work is to be faithful standard bearers in the warfare against everything that would tend to lower the standard set us by Jesus the Christ.

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"Stretch forth thine hand"

July 12, 1930

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