Our experience is very much the outcome of what we believe to be true of ourselves and others. How important it is, then, to gain the right concept of everything so that our lives may be governed by spiritual understanding in health and harmony!

In Science and Health Mary Baker Eddy asks: "What is the model before mortal mind? Is it imperfection, joy, sorrow, sin, suffering? Have you accepted the mortal model? Are you reproducing it?" After explaining the negative results of such an acceptance she says: "To remedy this, we must first turn our gaze in the right direction, and then walk that way. We must form perfect models in thought and look at them continually, or we shall never carve them out in grand and noble lives."^{Science and Health, p. 248;}

Forming "perfect models in thought" spiritualizes one's consciousness. A constant process, it involves learning how to distinguish between true and false concepts, or thought-models, between what God, Spirit, has really created and what is only fiction.

Spirit's creation, which includes spiritual man and all right ideas, is complete, perfect in every way. An emanation of divine Mind, it is evidenced in intelligent action, unselfed love for others, and a continuous normal state of health and happiness. Whatever is of God is always good and pure, a blessing to ourselves and others. Perfect thought-models are Godlike models.

Likewise, what is selfish, limiting, evil—negative in any way— exposes itself as a mortal model. This mortal model is simply a baseless suggestion that life and intelligence exist in matter, completely apart from Mind's control, from Mind's unerring laws of good. Accepting it leads to sin, sickness, and death.

Christ Jesus said: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ... Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." ^{Matt. 7:18, 20;}

As we learn to detect and reject the false mortal concept, or model, and replace it with the true, we experience greater joy and freedom. Our lives pattern the perfection of spiritual models.

A student of Christian Science mentioned to me feeling troubled after having seen a friend walking down the street. Slumping, this friend seemed stooped by the cares of life. The picture of failure and frustration saddened the student, who felt deep concern for his friend. Later, in the same conversation with me, the student complained of pain in his back.

I quoted a Bible passage that occurred to me: "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace."^{Ps. 37:37;} We then talked about how important it is to behold man as Spirit creates him—perfect, upright, free of the heavy cares associated with a false, material sense of existence.

After we had discussed Mrs. Eddy's references to mortal models and perfect models, it became clear that the student had accepted the mortal model, a picture of a deformed man. This had not been rejected and replaced with the perfect model, the spiritual concept of man, but was being reproduced in his experience in the form of a painful back. We both agreed that to acknowledge and hold to only the perfect model, spiritual man, was the loving, right thing to do.

We felt uplifted by the truths shared. In a few hours the back problem disappeared. And since that time the friend seen on the street has had opportunities to enlarge his sense of dignity and self-respect.

Mrs. Eddy extends this invitation to the world: "Let us accept Science, relinquish all theories based on sense-testimony, give up imperfect models and illusive ideals; and so let us have one God, one Mind, and that one perfect, producing His own models of excellence." ^{Science and Health, p. 249.}