IT is one of humanity's many paradoxes that while the quality of obedience is universally recognized as essential to moral, social, civil, political, and religious well-being, the practice of obedience is almost as commonly resisted, at one time or another, in some way or other, in individual experience. This is because the so-called human mind in its blind and perverse way desires the reward that flows from a spiritual quality, while it evades the application of that quality or attempts to make it operate in a way opposite to its real nature. Obedience has therefore come to be too often regarded in the narrowest sense of submission to human dictation or enforced abstaining from some prohibited, although desired, thing or act. It is true that obedience includes the element of abstention from what is forbidden, as well as the performance of what is required; but the Latin derivation of "obedience" reveals its true and beautiful signification in the combination of the words "near" and "hear," making it mean to hear intelligently, to understand what is to be obeyed and why it is to be obeyed.
Paul recognized a fact which is obvious enough when one stops to think: that each one is continually submitting to some directing influence, is complying with the demands of either the material or the spiritual sense. "Know ye not," the apostle asked, "that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" When obedience is understood as beginning with intelligent listening, it is seen that an understanding of the authority to which submission is due must precede the hearing. One must know God before one can intelligently hear and submit to spiritual demands and direction and know how to refuse compliance with the dictates of material sense. This knowledge of God is just what Christian Science is bringing to men, enabling them willingly and intelligently to obey Him. In the Preface to "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. vii) Mrs. Eddy writes: "Ignorance of God is no longer the stepping-stone to faith. The only guarantee of obedience is a right apprehension of Him whom to know aright is Life eternal."
Love is inseparably linked with obedience, for love is the quality which most closely unites 'thought with God. Even on the merely human plane of existence, men willingly and attentively listen to a loved one's words and wishes. Christ Jesus distinctly associated love with obedience. When he said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments," he indicated that obedience was the only worthy evidence of the love which his followers professed for him. Commenting upon these words of the Master, Mrs. Eddy writes (Message for 1902, p. 17): "He knew that obedience is the test of love; that one gladly obeys when obedience gives him happiness. Selfishly, or otherwise, all are ready to seek and obey what they love. When mortals learn to love aright; when they learn that man's highest happiness, that which has most of heaven in it, is in blessing others, and in self-immolation—they will obey both the old and the new commandment, and receive the reward of obedience."
