A schoolteacher was called upon to testify in court to the good character of one of his pupils who had become involved in a serious fight in a youth club. On the long train journey to the town where the trial was to be held, he studied very carefully that week's Lesson-Sermon from the Christian Science Quarterly. The subject was, "God." As he proceeded with his study, three statements stood out to him.

The first was from the Bible: "Ye are come...to God the Judge of all." ^{Heb. 12:22,23;} This made him see that he must think of himself as being called to speak before God, omnipotent, omniscient Mind, and His perfect child, or expression. He was not to try to impress a human mentality that could be swayed this way or that according to how well or how badly the facts were presented.

The second statement that helped the teacher was, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" ^{Gen. 18:25;} He saw that this, when understood clearly and held to firmly, would help the judge to make decisions that would be the right ones and fair to all concerned.

The third statement that impressed him gave him the true concept of the jury. They were not a collection of human beings who might easily make a mistake, for—as Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health—"God is the only Mind governing man." ^{Science and Health, p.308;} Thus he saw that if he understood the reality of man's flawless, spiritual identity as the reflection of God, he would be doing his part to bring about a verdict in line with what was supremely right.

With his thought now fully prepared, the teacher proceeded to the courtroom. Outside it he was met by the barrister and the solicitor who had been engaged to defend the pupil. Neither of them held out any hope of securing a verdict in the boy's favor. After the trial had begun, the teacher found that the prosecution had built up a very plausible case against the pupil, making him out to be the aggressor. One look at the two youths, together with his knowledge of his pupil's character over a number of years, was enough to convince the teacher that the whole case being presented by the prosecution was nothing but a pack of lies.

Witness after witness was called to substantiate this case. Then it was the turn of the defense to state its case. When the teacher was called into the witness-box, he felt an inspiring sense of authority. He felt guided to speak out strongly in favor of his pupil, pointing out how commendable his character was and what nonsense this fact made of the prosecution's case. As he spoke, he felt the atmosphere in the courtroom change completely.

Later, when the verdict was announced, the pupil was cleared of the charges brought against him. Afterward the barrister and the solicitor who had been defending him remarked that this unexpected verdict had been achieved through what the teacher had said.

This event clearly illustrates the effectiveness of lifting one's thought above the human sense of justice to the divine. Whatever the situation with which we have to deal, we can realize that nothing in it is beyond God's control or subject to any law but His. As Mrs. Eddy explains, "God's law is in three words, 'I am All;' and this perfect law is ever present to rebuke any claim of another law." ^{No and Yes, p.30;}

Since God is All, the real man, who is Mind's spiritual idea, is always governed by Mind's perfect justice, wisdom, dominion, and harmony. In proportion as we understand this spiritual fact and adhere to it, we can prove it in daily life. Thus we can say with the Psalmist, "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." ^{Ps. 119:165;}

Didn't Christ Jesus prove this to be true? Although condemned to death, he clearly demonstrated through spiritual law his God-given immunity to this death sentence. He had healed many others whom physical laws had sentenced to a life of suffering. His healing work showed plainly that material law's inequitable edicts are false because they condemn mankind to suffer from evil even though this is obviously not God's will for man.

How could a beneficent Deity sentence His beloved child to suffering or limitation? God decrees only good for man. Anything that sentences us to endure evil is not an enactment of divine Mind but merely a mistaken belief of illusory mortal mind, whose decrees we are entitled to defy. Science and Health says, "It is man's moral right to annul an unjust sentence, a sentence never inflicted by divine authority." ^{Science and Health, p.381;}

We need never fear the unjust verdicts of evil. Whatever they may decree, they do not have the force of law, but are merely suggestions, or false assumptions, that there is a law or power apart from God. "There is no power but of God," ^{Rom. 13:1.} urges Paul. As we come to understand that the real man's life is completely governed by God, we will enjoy our true status as His subjects. Obedient to spiritual law, not subservient to material law, we will prove in our lives that we are subject to good alone.