Read Exodus xvii. 8-16. Jesus of Nazareth is to-day universally regarded as the greatest man of earth. While he was great, and stood high above his fellowmen, he lived his own teaching: "Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." During his earthly life, he sought not his own, but another's good. His great desire was that he might be a faithful servant of God and humanity, and be permitted to do for mortals what he was able to do. If he mourned, as he did over Jerusalem, it was because the service of a pure, self-sacrificing life had been rejected.
His life was also a demonstration of his own statement: "He that humbleth himself shall be exalted." He was exalted higher and higher until he disappeared to corporeal sense. He was not exalted by personal minds, for he was nailed to the cross and crucified by those he came to save and bless. It was his oneness with the Father that exalted him, and all the efforts of error to cast him down, only enabled him to rise higher in the consciousness of the One Good.
His life teaches how necessary it is that we should be ourselves and not seek to be some one else. "Each individual must fill his own niche in time and eternity."' (Retrospection and Introspection, page 86.) In Truth man's identity is established and there is no desire to change it. If such a desire should be entertained, it could never be realized. "Thou canst not make one hair white or black." Who, by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his stature?" As mortals we may live in unconsciousness of our true identity, but we cannot change it, neither can we forever remain in ignorance of it. What is true of each individual will destroy the error that seems to enshroud the real man. Because we have our identity in Truth, we must also have our identity in Truth's destruction of error. We must find our right place on earth before we can know our identity in heaven. As we find the one, we gain the other also. As we learn our identity in Good, or as we become identified with the good, we see the work God has for us to do. And as we do our work faithfully, looking to Truth for wisdom and strength, we gain a better understanding of our true being.
