Ever since the doom was pronounced upon Adam, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread," mortals, generally speaking, have been bowed beneath a supposed curse on work. This material belief has hindered progress in unnumbered directions, and has been the cause of untold suffering and failure.

In spite of the Bible injunction, "Let us not be weary in well doing," many of even the most consecrated efforts for world betterment have been hampered, and sometimes completely nullified, by this misinterpretation of work. How much the world owes to Christian Science for its clear, spiritual teaching that man, God's own image and likeness, never shared in the condemnation of Adam, the material counterfeit of man!

Work, then, as understood in Christian Science, is seen as a spontaneous and natural part of each one's experience. This Science removes the false concepts which have veiled the true nature of work, and reveals the wonderful truth that, since God is the ever-acting Principle, or Mind, man's real work or business is to reflect the harmonious and unlabored action of the one divine Mind. On page 183 of "Miscellaneous Writings" Mrs. Eddy says, "Man is God's image and likeness; whatever is possible to God, is possible to man as God's reflection." For that which is accomplished by reflection, there is no resultant discord or exhaustion. One cannot conceive of God's image becoming weary or heavy laden, since man uses, not so-called material strength, but that of the original, which he faithfully represents.

No matter what outward form one's occupation may assume, this scientific fact remains the same. For instance, a man's business may be that of a farmer, a merchant, or a manufacturer. In these activities his real work is to reflect or express honesty, courtesy, patience, promptness, perseverance, and so on. Or perhaps his profession is that of a lawyer, a teacher, or a Christian Science practitioner. If he is to succeed, his real work is to reflect the spiritual qualities of intelligence, accuracy, love, and wisdom.

The mother who is a homemaker may feel that her scope is very limited, and largely circumscribed within four walls. Then, let her realize that her real career, her true lifework, involving as it does the responsibility of training young people to be of genuine service in the world, demands more than do most professions. It demands the reflection or expression of the Godlike qualities of meekness, tenderness, forbearance, wisdom, steadfastness, and graciousness. Recognizing this, she will see that she is one with that earnest band whose efforts are filling the wide earth with blessings, and who are "every one members one of another."

Let the one who believes himself to be unemployed ponder well these words of our great Master: "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." No need here for idleness, no overproduction, no age limit, no weariness, no unfair discrimination because of lack of education or helpful environment! The one call from the impartial Father, the one loving invitation, is to participate in the all-embracing business of expressing good. Let the hitherto unemployed obey this call, engage in the vocation which is open to him this very hour—that of bringing into active expression every idea of good he actually perceives. If he is honest and persistent in this course, it is inevitable that, sooner or later, the world will realize its need of him in the position which his obedience to God has equipped him to fill with humility and honor, and he will realize his dominion over every aggressive mental suggestion that would obstruct or delay achievement.

We must remember that he who accepts a five, or a two, or a one-talent opportunity, has accepted thereby a proportionate responsibility, each according to the measure of his receiving. So let not him who has received but one talent enter the ranks of the unemployed by including the false suggestions of inferiority, jealousy, and resentment, nor yield to the temptation to bury in the earth his one talent, his one spiritual gift—his clear apprehension and expression of even one spiritual quality—by regarding it as a perishable, material, personal possession. Spiritual ideas have no kinship with "earth," and cannot be buried there. Even one talent may be so increased by wise stewardship, by active and continuous expression, that its humble possessor, no less than his brethren of wider privileges and responsibilities, may share in the Father's loving benediction, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."