"To thine own self be true"

MARK NATHANS

To his son, impatient to be off on his voyage, the farewell peroration of Polonius must have seemed unduly long-winded. Yet we hope that as the young man strode hastily from his father's presence he let his parent's words sink deep into his heart, especially that last bit of advice, "This above all: to thine own self be true."

Mortal mind might pervert this advice as an injunction to "look after number one," or an invitation to consider one's own human needs before the interests of others. Such an attitude is based on mortal mind's inability to comprehend the true nature of man as the image and likeness of God, and results in such false conclusions as the belief that an individual's future is in his own hands.

How often do we hear the expression in regard to one who has made good in the world that he is a self-made man! And because mortal man's concept of himself and the universe around him is limited and restricted, he often thinks that his well-being has to be attained at another's expense; that there is not enough good to go around for everybody, and that, therefore, he has to get in first, even, if it means elbowing somebody else out of the way. Once we accept these arguments of mortal mind, we are not far from accepting sharp practice and dishonesty as legitimate means towards our ends.

Amid the darkness of such human thinking, Christian Science sheds its healing light. Hear these inspired words: "Man's genuine selfhood is recognizable only in what is good and true. Man is neither self-made nor made by mortals. God created man" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 294). With this clear statement of the truth our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, deflates the pretentious claims of mortal mind and reveals man's true selfhood as forever reflecting all that is good and true, as God-created instead of created by mortals. With this higher view of selfhood in thought, the advice quoted from Polonius assumes a new significance.

In the scientific account of creation as narrated in the first chapter of Genesis we read that "God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him." And a little farther on we are told that "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Thus to be true to our genuine selfhood means to live up to our highest concept of good, to reflect in our daily' lives the qualities of God.

Let us then examine some of these qualities which we wish to express in our daily living. God is Love; therefore man, as God's image and likeness, reflects Love in humility and unselfed love. In this Love there is no room for selfishness, self-interest, or indifference to our neighbor's good. As we discard a false sense of self and see ourselves as, in reality, the reflection of Love, we discern that Love is impartial and infinite, and rejoice in our brother's good.

God is Truth. So to be true to our real selves we must express truthfulness, honesty, and faithfulness. Any deviation, however slight, from the straight path of honesty and integrity is in reality a betrayal of one's true selfhood and shuts the door to the manifold blessings which are continually flowing from the Giver of all good. When tempted to practice any stratagem in our business dealings which is not entirely above-board, let us ask ourselves this question: "What do we hope to get out of it?" Then let us consider whether it is worth forfeiting such spiritual benefits as love, joy, and peace for the sake of some temporal and material gain.

God is substance; therefore man, as the reflection of God, has abundant substance for his every need. This quality of abundance can never be limited or restricted any more than God can. Consequently one need never fear that any other person can appropriate his share of substance or prevent his receiving his full supply of good. On the contrary, he who is true to himself will find ample opportunity to help meet his brother's need out of his own rich fund of good.

In the final analysis, to be true to oneself means to do the will of God. "And what."' asks the prophet Micah, "doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" How true then are the words which Shakespeare puts into the mouth of Polonius:

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

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As It Was "in the beginning"

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