With two children in elementary school, it’s been a fun trip down memory lane to revisit many of the school activities that come about at this educational stage—spirit days, book fairs, learning the multiplication tables, etc. Perhaps the most iconic of such happenings is “show and tell.” When it came time for my daughter to participate in this activity, I began to ponder that phrase through a spiritual lens.

It occurred to me that “show and tell” is a game that mortal mind—a supposed mind apart from the one, infinite Mind, God—tempts us to play. Our bodies show and tell us a lot that isn’t good. They often display imperfection or deformity or report that they’re in pain, sick, stiff, old, etc. Although these presentations can feel convincing, we don’t have to be taken in by them.

Referring to a view of man as material—limited and very imperfect—Mary Baker Eddy says, “The world is holding it before your gaze continually” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 248). Sure enough, we’d be hard-pressed to sit through half an hour of television or spend any time on the internet without seeing plenty of instances of this matter-oriented show and tell. Whether we’re seeing news of devastation and tragedy, sensational photos, or ads for medical remedies that come with a long list of potential negative side effects, we have to be vigilant to “stand porter at the door of thought” (Science and Health, p. 392)­ and to stick to knowing what is true: God, good, and His perfectly good and wholly spiritual creation, which includes each of us.