The real business of the student of Christian Science is to bring thought and deed into accord with his highest concept of truth and right and to apply himself assiduously to the acquiring of a still higher understanding of his status as God's representative. Early in his career Christ Jesus announced that he regarded it as his necessity to be about his Father's business, that is, to do the will of God. He was sure that his mission was to teach the allness of God, good, and the perfection of man, made in His likeness; and he proceeded to prove these truths by eliminating sickness, sin, death, and other discordant conditions.

Mary Baker Eddy was also well aware of her God-given assignment to re-establish primitive Christianity and its healing work. She was continually about her Father's business.

Each Christian Scientist is expected, and rightly, to attend to his own individual business of reflecting God, in demonstration of the scientific fact that man is created by God for the sole purpose of reflecting Him and expressing the divine will and activity. His business, then, is so to live and speak and act that only the Father's business will be expressed or exemplified in his affairs. In proportion as he lives up to his highest concept of God's business does he experience the joy and the unlabored and fruitful activity which man as God's reflection unceasingly expresses.

Each individual has his own activity assigned whether he realizes it or not, by the divine Mind, which controls and directs all true activity. And as each recognizes his appointed niche in the unfoldment of God's creation, he finds duties and work aplenty. Life, Love, Truth, substance, and wisdom are to be exemplified, and each of us is an individual exemplifier. As each adheres to this divine intent, he cannot unwisely interest himself in another's affairs, scandalize his neighbors, or interfere with whatever right effort his brother may be making. Mrs. Eddy states in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 283), "Any exception to the old wholesome rule, 'Mind your own business,' is rare."

God is governing His creation, and this includes the true being of others as well as our own. In the measure that we realize this, we are freed from anxious concern for our own or another's welfare. There need be no self-appointed steadying of another's ark. It is our business to know this and to rejoice that not only we ourselves, but all upon whom our thoughts rest in prayer are benefited. In short, we must be vigilant that we do not attend to the affairs which rightly belong to others.

In her article entitled, "Love Your Enemies," Mrs. Eddy writes (ibid., p. 13): "The only justice of which I feel at present capable, is mercy and charity toward every one,—just so far as one and all permit me to exercise these sentiments toward them,—taking special care to mind my own business." Not only was our leader careful to mind her own business, but she was equally watchful that others did not encroach upon her affairs to the point of minding them for her. She knew that God had given her a great work to do, that He supplied both the wisdom and the strength to achieve it, and that no one else was capable of taking her place. It was through her absolute reliance on God that the Christian Science movement was established. Emulating her example, we can see that we too, individually, have our work to do in carrying on the movement, and that every right thought and act is divinely ordered and assured of success.

While it is right that every Christian Scientist should be busy in the correction and eradication of those errors which daily confront him, this does not mean that everyone is expected to register as a Christian Science practitioner and thus announce himself as devoting all his time to the healing work. A student engaged in business or industry has frequent opportunities to use his understanding of the truth in the solution of the many problems which appear.

A Christian Scientist was part owner of a chain of grocery stores and active in their management. A season of falling prices was imminent, and the inventory was a large one. Much anxiety was felt by the owners, and as the financial peril grew, inducing a state of panic, they knew not which way to turn. The Scientist took counsel with a Christian Science practitioner, and in the ensuing conversation it was pointed out that the business of distributing food is very specifically linked to the operation of God's law as applied to human affairs. Mrs. Eddy indicates how human needs are met when she writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 422), "Christ, Truth, gives mortals temporary food and clothing until the material, transformed with the ideal, disappears, and man is clothed and fed spiritually." It was made clear to this manager that he, being engaged in an activity of wholesome service to his fellow men, was in a good business, and in the degree that he understood the spiritual facts concerning it, he could be conscious only of success.

Because of the manager's clearer understanding of what true business is, a changed atmosphere, a quiet, strong confidence, began to permeate the business office. Shortly afterwards a considerable improvement was noted in the grocery markets, new stock was purchased at prices assuring profits to offset the losses involved in the current warehouse stocks, the tension of fear was lifted perceptibly, and all probability of financial distress was eliminated. Both the volume and the monetary total of the business that month exceeded previous months by surprising percentages.

A Christian Scientist is always in the business of distributing or disseminating good. And it makes little difference whether he is giving his attention to shoes or shrubs, groceries or gravel, houses or harness, for he is in the Christly business of supplying mortals' temporary needs until such time as "the material, transformed with the ideal, disappears and man is clothed and fed spiritually." The Scientist, thus understanding the nature of true understanding the nature of true business, rejoices in the sure knowledge that, as Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome (Rom. 8:28), "All things work together for good to them that love God," to those who are active in God's business.

In God's business there is no rivalry, for each idea in the divine Mind is found co-operating, not competing, with every other idea. The Mind which is God is all-harmonious, and the ideas within that Mind are therefore in complete accord with one another. Each is operating under divine direction. Thus, with all fear of competition or failure eliminated, one may pursue any and every right activity with eager, happy assurance of success. The commonly accepted beliefs that hazard must accompany all business, that the production and distribution of human necessities are plagued with the possibility of unavoidable disaster, fade out in proportion as man's true business is recognized to be that of expressing and manifesting only good. A hymn has these words (Christian Science Hymnal, No. 361):