No one ever uttered a wiser, truer word than did Mrs. Eddy when she said, "Each individual is responsible for himself" (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 119). Paul also declared for individual work and responsibility when he wrote, "Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." The failure to understand and act upon this necessity for individual endeavor is the cause of many of humanity's dissensions. It sometimes seems as though most people are either trying to shoulder responsibility for others, or to find others who will assume responsibility for them; always some one is seeking to do another's work for him, or to have his own work done for him by another. While this intrusion into another's work apparently goes on quite generally, it is often not so much from an intention to interfere as from an ignorant effort to give unrequested aid.
There is only one way in which one can fulfill his own responsibility; only one way in which he can win his own freedom; and that is through learning, as Christian Science teaches, to prove his own unity with God, divine Mind. Each one's individual work is to know and do the will of God, for this is the purpose for which God created man. Man as the expression of the will of God can never do aught but reflect God's perfection; and the individual responsibility of demonstrating this every one must finally fulfill. This way of light and Life can be attained only through the perpetual laying down of the beliefs in evil. Because the divine is always present it is discovered and realized in just the proportion that the false is recognized and relinquished.
No one can ever do another's work. Since each one is an individual reflection of God, each must demonstrate this truth for himself. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 18) our beloved Leader tells us that Jesus "did life's work aright not only in justice to himself, but in mercy to mortals,—to show them how to do theirs, but not to do it for them nor to relieve them of a single responsibility." While he did his own work so perfectly, there is no record that he ever made himself responsible for his human relatives, or even for his disciples. He did not condemn himself for Peter's inconstancy, for Thomas' doubt, or for Judas' sin. On the contrary, he must have seen that to accept such false responsibility would have been to acknowledge these evils as real; and this would have rendered him totally unfit to complete his own stupendous work.
Jesus, at the same time, knew how to bear ''another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." One can only serve another as he understands that each individual is responsible for himself. Each must turn to God in every instance as the All of being, since no one can ever do aught for himself or another except as he reflects the one omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient Mind. All one can do for another is to aid—when such aid is requested—in finding this out and pointing the way to its fulfillment. No one, therefore, need ever be disturbed or imagine that his individual work can be interfered with. In "Retrospection and Introspection" (p. 86) Mrs. Eddy tells us: "A student desiring growth in the knowledge of Truth, can and will obtain it by taking up his cross and following Truth. If he does this not, and another one undertakes to carry his burden and do his work, the duty will not be accomplished. No one can save himself without God's help, and God will help each man who performs his own part. After this manner and in no other way is every man cared for and blessed."
Friction sometimes seems to result even among Christian Scientists because of a failure to see clearly that each is responsible only for himself. Really there should be no fear or disturbance either because of mistaken efforts to aid or of lack of willingness to accept such efforts. The one to whom uninvited advice may be offered can listen lovingly and patiently, understanding that it is his responsibility to accept or reject what is offered. He alone can do this. Then why should he fear what another may say, or think, or do? While the one who desires to aid may know that his responsibility certainly ceases when he has expressed what he has hoped would be helpful. It might also be well to remember that unrequested aid is rarely if ever acceptable, or accepted. Then why waste effort?
Christian Science, in showing parents that each child must learn to be true to his own responsibility and must work out his own salvation with God's help, makes it possible to lead the child to depend on divine Principle for guidance in the working out of every problem. Thus the parents may be delivered from mistaken responsibility, and the child be encouraged to do his own work under the care of divine Mind. This course brings about a sweet unity of purpose between parents and children which increases as they progress spiritually. The complete demonstration of total reliance on Principle may not always be quickly accomplished, since the highest efforts of the parents to turn the children to dependence on God may at first be misjudged and resisted; while it may take constant prayer and many a deep struggle for the parent to learn how to lay down false responsibility and leave the child to God's guidance. Patience and love, unselfishness and forbearance, cannot fail, however, to win glorious results.
As Christian Scientists we need to exercise much tender consideration towards each other while each is learning how to assume and demonstrate his own responsibility. While each is responsible only for bringing his every thought, word, and deed into obedience to Christ, it often takes much floundering and slipping, much clambering and climbing, before he gains the secure ground where his efforts are always a blessing to his fellow-traveler. But the heights of correct individual work will be attained; for thus and thus only shall we "come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."
