"My God shall supply all your need"

[Of special interest to children]

PATRICIA PLUMB WILSON

Sally is almost always happy, and she likes to jump and dance about. Especially she likes to laugh; and when her father teases her, she giggles so much it is hard for her to stop.

But one day when Sally came home from school she didn't feel at all happy. Instead of dancing and skipping, she stamped noisily about the house. She didn't want to laugh or giggle or even to speak politely. Instead of smiling, she scowled, and her face seemed to be covered with a dark storm cloud.

When the family sat down to supper, Sally told them that her stomach hurt and that she didn't feel like eating. Then she went off to be alone.

Before long Mother came into Sally's room and asked what she could do to help. She had such a friendly smile on her face that Sally didn't want to hide her troubles any longer.

For several days Sally had been looking for some pictures she could use for an assignment at school. Finally she found just what she wanted, and she selected the prettiest picture to use on the cover of a booklet she was making.

Her friend Carol was having trouble finding pictures too. Sally wanted to help, so she told Carol just where she had found her pictures. Later she learned that Carol had used on her booklet the very same picture that Sally had chosen for her own. Sally thought Carol was being unfair.

By the time she finished telling her mother about this, Sally was almost in tears. But Mother said gently: "Why, Sally, you know that God is infinite good. That means there is always enough good to go around for everyone. It was nice of you to help Carol. Perhaps you'll find another picture you'll like just as well."

Sally had been attending the Christian Science Sunday School for several years, and she had learned to listen carefully when others were speaking. She wanted to believe what Mother was saying, but she remembered how hard it had been to find the pictures she already had.

"Why don't we see what the Bible says about infinite good?" suggested Mother. Then she asked Sally to turn to Philippians 4:19. Here is what Sally read: "My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Jesus certainly demonstrated God's infinite goodness many times, as when he fed the hungry multitudes and stilled a storm.

God has so many ideas that we don't have to take them from others in order to have enough for ourselves. In Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy says, "Soul has infinite resources with which to bless mankind, and happiness would be more readily attained and would be more secure in our keeping, if sought in Soul."^{Science and Health, p. 60.}

The idea of sharing good with someone had really come from God. In accepting this good, Carol couldn't actually take anything that belonged only to Sally. Because Sally had been unselfish in helping her friend, she could trust God to supply whatever she needed to complete her own work.

By now Sally realized that everything was going to be all right. She began to smile, and as her smile grew broader, the old storm cloud just disappeared and so did the pain in her stomach.

As the days passed, Sally found all she needed to finish her booklet. When it was returned to her, she found that besides giving her the highest grade for the work, the teacher had written in the margin, "Very good." And, of course, she and Carol went right on being good friends.

Commit thy way unto the Lord;
trust also in him;
and he shall bring it to pass.

Psalm 37:5

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