Some time ago two trees were growing in front of our house. Similar in kind and planted at the same time, they had apparently received good care. One, however, was full and beautiful, and the other was not.

I wondered about the difference until I discovered that the less productive tree had vines intertwined throughout its branches. They were taking away the tree's freedom to grow to its natural beauty and fullness.

The Psalmist likens the prosperity of the upright person to the flourishing of a tree. He says: "His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." ^{Ps. 1:2, 3.}

These verses relate fruitful living to prayerful living—a prayerful contemplation of and obedience to God's law. And the Bible shows clearly that we must be faithful to that law if we are to continue to bear fruit.

Certainly the children of Israel experienced prosperity and freedom to the degree that they obeyed the law as set forth by God in the Ten Commandments. However, as they grew in prosperity they did not keep themselves from idolatry, lawlessness, and trust in human power. The prophets recognized these choking "vines" of materialism. And prophets such as Hosea and Isaiah told Israel that God's law had to be loved and lived and not given mere lip service. Many years later God told Jeremiah to prophesy a new covenant, one that could not be ignored or broken. He said, "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." ^{Jer. 31:33.}

Christ Jesus fulfilled in full measure what the prophets had glimpsed concerning God's law. He proved that divine law is not a cold, abstract, external code, but moral and spiritual power governing every detail of life. Divine law, understood in the light of Jesus' life, is an impelling force, causing humanity to obey God naturally and experience spiritual freedom. Jesus' mighty works show the scope of this freedom. In the words of John, "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." ^{John 1:17.}

To Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered and founded Christian Science, the life and works of Jesus were full of promise. And she devoted considerable effort to understanding how he brought forth such good fruits. In her search she felt God's guidance, leading her to the discovery of the spiritual law of Love, or the Science of Christ, which was behind the works of Jesus. She writes, "The life of Christ Jesus was not miraculous, but it was indigenous to his spirituality,—the good soil wherein the seed of Truth springs up and bears much fruit." ^{Science and Health, pp. 270-271.}

The basis of a truly fruitful life is found in the two great commandments, which Jesus commended. He said that on them "hang all the law and the prophets." They can be summed up in one word, love—loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. ^{See Matt. 22:37-40 .}

Such love may seem difficult to express. But as we prayerfully realize that all actually have one God and Father, one Mind or Spirit, we naturally love. We love spiritual manhood, rooted in God, the one Father-Mother. As we love the man God alone is causing to be, we are bearing witness to God's love, to divine Mind's unfoldment of man, its highest expression.

"Herein is love," writes John, "not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." ^{I John 4:10.} God's great love was evidenced in Jesus. As we pray and follow Jesus' example, God's great love is evidenced today. We increasingly bear witness to the incorporeal Christ, the true idea of God, ever present to save and heal.

The action of Christ, Truth, changes the very basis of thought from matter to Spirit. Through prayer we glimpse the purely spiritual nature of Life and intelligence. We realize that our true selfhood originates in God, infinite Spirit, not matter—that we exist in Mind as its idea and are governed by spiritual law. This prayerful change of base frees us, enabling us to grow and express our innate beauty and fullness.

As we prayerfully bring thought into the obedience of Christ, our lives are more fruitful. However, sometimes we may seem like the unproductive tree described earlier; we may see few signs of God's love. What should we do? Persist in our prayers. Never give up. As we pray, God's law supports and protects us. His law also uncovers any "vines" that may need uprooting.

What are some of the "vines" that would entangle one? What would subtly strangle one's spirituality and hinder progress? Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, "In patient obedience to a patient God, let us labor to dissolve with the universal solvent of Love the adamant of error,—self-will, self-justification, and self-love,—which wars against spirituality and is the law of sin and death." ^{Science and Health, p. 242.}

Sometimes self-will may come in the guise of strength. We may hold stubbornly to a way of doing things learned in the past or to a particular plan for the future. However, true strength is shown when human consciousness yields humbly to God's will, to the fact that there is only one God, one Mind, one will. On this basis we can prayerfully deny the false belief that self-will has any place or power.

Each of us has the God-given capacity to know and do the will of God. As we obey His will, such traits as blindness and stubbornness give place to the Christlike qualities of spiritual vision and purity. And we bear the fruit in a progressive and satisfying life.

A truly satisfying life is unselfish. It rejects a "me first" attitude, the self-love that would hinder true progress, as these words from a hymn indicate:

Prayerfully putting God first does not deny us identity, individuality, or anything good. On the contrary we find ourselves. We discover our reason for existing. We learn that man is never a mortal having to grow up through a jungle of mortality, battling for his life, struggling to be free. Man is already Love's full expression, unhindered and unencumbered. We realize, as Jesus taught, that there is no separate "I," no life, substance, or intelligence separate from God.

In Miscellaneous Writings Mrs. Eddy tells us, "The human affections need to be changed from self to benevolence and love for God and man; changed to having but one God and loving Him supremely, and helping our brother man." ^{Mis., p. 50.}

The way we can be of greatest help to others is through prayer put into practice—through a spiritually scientific understanding of the law of God and through selfless love in action. Prayer enables us to take good care of ourselves, our families, and the world. It blesses us physically and morally as well. Prayer prompts tangible expressions of goodness and love. Such prayer is the key to fruitful living.