"Gather up the fragments"

HARRY B. MAC RAE

There is probably no better known instance of Christ Jesus' insistence upon proper attention being given to the so-called little things than his admonition to his disciples after the feeding of the five thousand. Through his clear understanding of God as the infinite source of supply, the few loaves and fishes had been multiplied and the thousands of hungry listeners congregated there upon the grassy slopes of the mountain beyond the Galilean sea had been fed. Yet, "when they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost."

The Master's command, though they promptly obeyed it, may have somewhat puzzled the disciples, since there was apparently no immediate need for this surplus food. Furthermore, they had just witnessed the proof that he was able to utilize God's spiritual power and was not dependent upon material supply to feed even a multitude such as this. But he who spake as "never man spake" thus practically showed his disciples, as well as mankind generally, the importance of a proper acknowledgment of every benefit made manifest through an understanding of God. As the disciples fully appreciated and recognized each demonstration of God's ever-presence, regardless of how small or unimportant to mortal sense the outward symbol might appear to be, they would be qualified and prepared to receive more of good, and thus advance to higher works.

Throughout his ministry Jesus repeatedly referred to little things. The sparrow, the lily, the hairs of the head—these he used to illustrate the comprehensiveness of God's goodness, and its availability to all of His children. Nothing good was too small or too insignificant to be noted as indicating his Father's infinite wisdom and care. It was this clear perception of God's allness that enabled the Master to demonstrate it in every way.

Following closely in the great Teacher's footsteps, our revered Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, likewise taught that the evidence of God's care for these least things was incontrovertible evidence of His provision for all. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" she writes (p. 62), "The divine Mind, which forms the bud and blossom, will care for the human body, even as it clothes the lily; but let no mortal interfere with God's government by thrusting in the laws of erring, human concepts."

As Christian Scientists, today, our acceptance of the truth that God is omnipresent—even when there is apparent but a small indication of that fact—opens our consciousness to the inflow of more good, and the better demonstration of it in our daily affairs. Does not a small amount of water flowing through the partially opened faucet hint the greater abundance which awaits only the further turn of the faucet to be manifested?

A student was once struggling to overcome the painful after effects of protracted sickness. Because of the constant sense of pain, it seemed difficult to realize the ever-presence of God, good. A faithful practitioner patiently encouraged the struggler to be more grateful, to recognize even the slightest good as evidence of Immanuel, "God with us." Being thus heartened, he renewed his efforts to gather, mentally, the fragments, small though they might seem to be, of all the good with which he had been so abundantly fed through his study of Christian Science. His thought now being turned toward the light of good, he experienced the effect of this turning in the complete and permanent recovery which quickly followed.

Quite frequently, after experiencing a healing, or while we are still working to destroy some seemingly tenacious trouble of long standing, we are tempted to overlook or neglect to gather the fragments—to be grateful for small indications of improvement. They either seem to us so small compared with the outstanding healing, or so slight when we view the apparent magnitude of the difficulty yet to be overcome, that we fail to acknowledge or recognize their importance, and thus we hinder our progress.

At such times, it is well to remember that the fragments are conclusive proof of the unlimited supply of good continually awaiting our acceptance, and that it is most important to our progress that we do not neglect to gather them. How important our Leader considered gratitude is shown in a letter to The Mother Church concerning the testimony meetings, wherein she said (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 149), "After presenting the various offerings, and one after another has opened his lips to discourse and distribute what God has given him of experience, hope, faith, and understanding, gather up the fragments, and count the baskets full of accessions to your love, and see that nothing has been lost."

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