We've all seen times when someone has offered advice on how to do a task more effectively. Maybe a parent has pointed out a better way for a youngster to earn money. A wife may have shown her husband an easier way to set up a tent or build the campfire. Perhaps he has taught her how to shop more thoughtfully.

It may take a bit of humility to acknowledge the help. Were there instances when we weren't so receptive to the guidance, even if it was useful? Maybe our turf was invaded; or we've always done things a certain way and we're just not terribly interested in changing. It's a bit tougher to shift our actions if we don't really have the desire.

The same sort of thing can be true about ways of thinking. We may resist an original or fresh approach to viewing a political or social or economic issue. Even if we do begin to redirect our perspective, there's something about human nature that may resist admitting the change we are making.

Sometimes our yielding to a better direction may be accompanied by what one might call a grudging or reluctant admission. Why the resistance to rejoicing? Material sense tends to build a case for its rigidity and limitation; it marshals evidence to support its beliefs; from its own perspective it can't really do much better. And so prejudiced thought is not necessarily thrilled when a genuine advancement is made.

This might help explain why society as a whole tends to resist the change from limited material methods of healing to a God-inspired, spiritual method that has no intrinsic limitations. When people are used to doing things a certain way, they're not always immediately receptive to breaking out of the mold, even if the new way is more effective, more intelligent.

If you are a regular Sentinel reader, it's likely you are a practicing Christian Scientist. You may feel you've given up the inherent mortal resistance to acknowledging that God is All, that He is good and that man is His perfect likeness. But the fact is, all of us need to continue watching for ways to more deeply admit the supremacy of Spirit and the powerlessness of matter. This is especially true when it comes to some very practical aspects of spiritual healing.

Consider, for instance, the simple example of acknowledging that our thought has yielded to Christ, Truth. We may pray faithfully to heal a given situation. As long as the pain or discord or disruption seems apparent, perhaps we're reluctant to admit that we've yielded to the touch of Truth. After all, if the physical evidence is still aggressive, what basis do we have to suppose we've yielded spiritually?

And yet it's simply not enough for the scientific Christian to make his decision merely on the basis of material evidence. He lets spiritual sense help him know how far he has come, how much he has yielded to Truth. Matter should not be the deciding factor. Spirit, and the spiritual sense it inspires, should be. "Some people yield slowly to the touch of Truth," explains Mary Baker Eddy in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. "Few yield without a struggle, and many are reluctant to acknowledge that they have yielded; but unless this admission is made, evil will boast itself above good."^{Science and Health, p. 450.}

One certainly shouldn't be naive about the claims of evil. We can never afford to close our eyes to mortal belief. We do need to face aggressive mortal mind squarely—and see it for what it truly is: utterly powerless. Nevertheless, when this has been adequately done, we need the humility to admit that we have yielded—even if the arrogant material senses resist. A timely admission breaks the persistence of evil's boast. We read in Science and Health, "If divine Love is becoming nearer, dearer, and more real to us, matter is then submitting to Spirit." ^{Ibid., p. 239.}

The thoughtful metaphysician will find many ways in his life to cultivate a humble acceptance of the fact that the material senses no longer predominate in thought. The circumstances calling for such an admission may involve an effort to heal disease, or the need to overcome chronic lack or resolve an ongoing discordant human relationship.

Not long ago a friend made such an admission in an interesting way. He had been raised in a Protestant church and was quite active, even serving as a missionary. He met a Christian Scientist, and after their marriage he became a consistent student of Christian Science. But he had avoided discussing this spiritual rebirth with his parents, who were very strong adherents of their denomination. His relationship with his parents had deteriorated, and this caused him to be even more reluctant to mention his newfound faith. He could vividly imagine their reaction!

Then one day while he was feeling God's presence, this Bible injunction came strongly to his thought: "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so."^{Ps. 107:2.} He could see the significance of the message. Lovingly he explained to his parents the transition he had experienced. Although the news was quite a major event for the family, my friend discovered that there was a noticeable smoothing out of the difficulties that had before existed.

We each can take a close look at our lives and discover, through spiritual sense, ways that we have yielded to the touch of Truth. And we can take the next step: a specific acknowledgment of this yielding. Far from just saying some words, this is a deep and humble gratitude to God, divine Truth, for having touched our lives. If we observe honestly, we may find some interesting areas that have been largely overlooked—experiences that are really calling for an admission on our part.

NATHAN A. TALBOT