Article July 19, 1969 Issue

Steps for Better Discipline

STOWELL WHITNEY MEARS

If discipline means obedience to Truth, as Christian Science makes clear, then expressing Truth should solve every disciplinary problem. If we are parents, we may say—with some degree of self-righteousness—that we are expressing Truth, God, but that our son or our daughter does not respond. If we are teachers, we may believe that we are dedicated to the truth but that many students are rebelling against the truth. Why?

One reason may be that we do not sufficiently express the love and wisdom of divine direction. The following seven steps play an important part it! helping us overcome our limitation in dealing with such situations. First, faith—faith in God's all-power in human affairs, an undeviating expectancy of good. No matter how severe a discipline problem seems to be, it is essential that we put our trust in the one Mind's government, else we cannot prove that error is nothing.

Second, understanding. An understanding of the allness of Spirit, divine Mind, and of the unreality and powerlessness of the temptations of mortal mind, or evil, shows us the right way to overcome material claims. To become shocked or angry at misdeeds often increases resistance by deferring the healing thought; whereas identifying the error and separating it from the individual makes it possible to help the offender more constructively.

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Crisis in the Desert
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