How much unhappiness and heartache could be eliminated from our experience if we would stop to realize the unwisdom and futility of taking offense! False sensitiveness is one of the brood of mortal mind evils; it is first cousin to self-pity and sister to self-love. It brings distress to the person who indulges in it and to all who are in contact with that person. When we take offense easily, we put unnecessary strain on our friends and condemn ourselves to unhappiness.

The ability to take a rebuke in good part and to correct his behavior accordingly, without bitterness, is expected of a child. How many of us, as adults, are willing to accept reproof and to profit by it? Instead, are not our feelings sometimes outraged by even the mildest censure? One of the greatest blessings which the study of Christian Science may bring into our experience is the gentle balm of humility. The earnest student is willing to become receptive to and grateful for guidance that points the way out of discord.

Self-justification, arrogance, sulkiness, cannot remain to torment us when meekness and teachableness have entered our consciousness and control it. Christian Science teaches us to neutralize every sting of error with the patience of love, to deflect every taunt by knowing that our real individuality cannot be reached, for it is spiritual, cognizant of good only and immune to resentment.

To reach the point where we are never even tempted to be angry with anyone is satisfying reward for our persistent and honest struggle to overcome sensitiveness. This overcoming ensures large dividends in serenity and in abiding friendship. By applying the law of Love and by expressing the humility which made Jesus immune to anger, even though he was reviled and persecuted, we may come to realize what the Psalmist meant when he exclaimed (Ps. 119:165), "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."

In her article entitled "Taking Offense," Mary Baker Eddy says (Miscellaneous Writings, pp. 223, 224): "The mental arrow shot from another's bow is practically harmless, unless our own thought barbs it. It is our pride that makes another's criticism rankle, our self-will that makes another's deed offensive, our egotism that feels hurt by another's self-assertion." In the same article she admonishes, "We should remember that the world is wide" And she goes on to say, "Then, we should go forth into life with the smallest expectations, but with the largest patience; with a keen relish for and appreciation of everything beautiful, great, and good, but with a temper so genial that the friction of the world shall not wear upon our sensibilities; with an equanimity so settled that no passing breath nor accidental disturbance shall agitate or ruffle it; with a charity broad enough to cover the whole world's evil, and sweet enough to neutralize what is bitter in it,—determined not to be offended when no wrong is meant, nor even when it is, unless the offense be against God."

Just as we should insulate ourselves against taking offense through refusing to recognize any intent to hurt, so we must guard our thoughts, our speech and actions lest they give others occasion for offense. We must check the quick irritability, the disdainful glance or indifference, the scornful word that may hurt another who is perhaps doing the best he knows.

It requires constant alertness on our part to avoid breaking the ninth commandment (Ex. 20:16), "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." The truth that our neighbor is just as surely the child of God as we ourselves and that as God's child he can be motivated only by the law of good frees us from the temptation to condemn others and erases the evidence of mean or selfish action.

The following incident illustrates how easy it is to draw false conclusions. Early one morning the writer, on vacation, went to a quiet cove of the beach to read the weekly Lesson-Sermon in the Christian Science Quarterly. Her attention was attracted by the arrival of a gray gull close to her. He was watching the movements of a white gull that circled three times overhead, carrying a clam in its beak. Suddenly, the white gull dropped the clam on the rocks, breaking the shell, and then swooped down to it. But before the white gull could reach the clam, the gray gull rushed over and gobbled up the tidbit. To all appearances the gray gull was guilty of thievery, greed, and selfishness. But the writer knew that the white gulls are the adults and the gray gulls, the young. She also knew that the gray gull was not motivated by mean and unworthy impulse, but was learning how to obtain his food by being obedient to what was expected of him.

We must rule out negative thoughts and practice positive spiritually inspired thinking. Paul expressed it beautifully when he urged (Phil. 4:8), "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things." Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 261), "Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionally to their occupancy of your thoughts." Only in this way can we form the habit of acknowledging the good in our neighbor, while knowing that any unlovely traits he may seem to be manifesting at the moment do not belong to his true self, the spiritual reflection of God, admirable and lovable.

Holding to the truth regarding man will erase criticism from our consciousness. When we can maintain the qualities of patient understanding, loving-kindness, and encouragement in our relations with our neighbor, we shall not be in danger of taking offense or of giving offense. Rather, we shall, by reflecting good alone, bring harmony into our daily living and blessing to those around us. In Proverbs we read (16:7), "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."