A Student of Christian Science was discussing with a Christian Science practitioner an expenditure of money which seemed necessary and right, but which had not been anticipated. During the conversation the student remarked, "To a person in my circumstances it is simply out of the question." The practitioner then asked the student this thought-provoking question: "Where do we find man's real existence—in Spirit or in matter?" The answer was apparent. The student had learned in Christian Science that man's existence is in God, Spirit, and not in His opposite, matter.

Every Christian Scientist is acquainted with the scientific fact that God is infinite good. If God is good, then it must follow that His image and likeness, man, expresses good. Mary Baker Eddy tells us (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 258), "Man reflects infinity, and this reflection is the true idea of God." Then man is the reflection of the limitless, boundless, inexhaustible good which is God. Reflecting limitless good, man cannot be limited or impoverished. Expressing inexhaustible abundance, man cannot know or experience limitation of any kind—whether of health, freedom, life, or supply. The practitioner pointed out that the word "circumstance," as commonly used, limits or modifies existence or character, and can never apply to God; hence it can never apply to His spiritual idea, man. Limited circumstances are simply the limited, material beliefs of mortals externalized. Mortal mind beholds its own material concepts and accepts them as real; thus it holds man to be mortal, restricted, and conditioned by matter.

The student then realized that his need was not primarily for a greater amount of money or material things, which are always fleeting and insubstantial, but for a better understanding of the true spiritual creation, and for a knowledge of God's infinitude and of man's unity therewith.

As he pursued this thought, his attention was turned to Christ Jesus' feeding of the multitude, as related in the eighth chapter of Mark. Here Jesus gave an excellent proof of man's unlimited supply. Until awakened by the Christ, Truth, his disciples clung to the material sense of limitation and lack. They saw the condition as impossible: four thousand people in a desert place and only seven loaves and a few fishes with which to feed them. With this limited, false concept of substance, they could conceive of no other source of supply than matter; hence their question, "From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?"

Jesus, on the contrary, recognized the scientific fact of the infinity and ever-presence of God, good. He immediately thanked his heavenly Father for the abundance of good which he knew to be an ever-present reality. Not deceived for a moment by the limiting argument of material sense, he was constantly aware of God as Spirit and of His creation as reflecting spiritual substance. Before his realization of these great facts, the material sense of limitation disappeared, and not only was there ample to feed the four thousand, but the Bible records, "They took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets." Here was practical demonstration of the abundance, ever-presence, and eternality of true substance. Here also was scientific proof of the unlimited nature of man's supply and of the freedom which an understanding of God gives men from illusory material concepts, making abundance humanly available to all.

Accepting these truths, the student soon began to experience a greater sense of abundance than he had ever known, and this easily enabled him to meet the additional financial demands that were made upon him.

Every student of Christian Science may demonstrate his freedom from the limitations of so-called human circumstances by accepting the truth that man, the reflection of God, has infinite resources. On page 255 of Science and Health we read. "In league with material sense, mortals take limited views of all things." Limitation of any nature is merely the result of a mistaken belief that man is mortal, and that matter constitutes the truth of creation. Limitation can never be associated with infinity, can never relate to the things of God, which alone are true and substantial.

If we find our supply inadequate, we should ask ourselves these questions: "Are we beholding the situation from a material, limited viewpoint? Are we believing that our supply is dependent upon a pay check, a position, a dividend, or a human benefactor?" If we are doing so, like the disciples of old we do not see beyond the few loaves and fishes.

Let us rather acknowledge, as did Jesus, that God alone is the source of all good and joyously give thanks because this good is always unlimited and forever present. It is reassuring to ponder the statement which Mrs. Eddy makes in her article entitled "Angels" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 307), "Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment." Health, joy, strength, life, and freedom are reflected by man, God's idea. In the measure that we perceive this fact, we bring it into our experience.

Let us remember that material circumstances are merely the outcome of human thinking. Therefore, we should not depend on material circumstances for health, happiness, or supply, but on God, the source of all true life and substance. It is interesting to note that Mrs. Eddy never uses the word "circumstance" in connection with spiritual man, the only true man.

The Apostle Paul reminds us (Rom. 8:16, 17), "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." This is man's true heritage. He is the heir of God, the heir of infinite, ever-present good, free from all sense of limitation.