IN the epistle of James we read, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." True riches, then, do not consist of the material things which we may possess. Jesus explained this in the parable of the one with the many barns; also, in the incident of the rich young ruler, whose spiritual poverty he laid bare. Jesus' answer to the latter's inquiry, "What lack I yet?" indicated that the young man needed to turn from a materialistic estimate of possession to the understanding of spiritual values; then he would have riches in heaven. True riches cannot be found in materiality, or in matter; nor can they be measured by material abundance, for one may possess great wealth of material things and still may not be "rich toward God." Jesus even said, on one occasion, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!"
Poverty is a condition of thought, —a lack of knowledge of God, good; and it is overcome only as we gain such knowledge. This is available through the teachings of Christian Science. It is only as we grow to understand God and to realize, as the Apostle James did, that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above," that we can come into our inheritance, claim our birthright, and learn that man really possesses all good.
Spiritual understanding is true riches; and to gain this we must learn what really constitutes substance. Fear of lack arises from the belief that matter is substance; but Christian Science teaches us that substance is Spirit. So our first step is to turn from the husks of materiality and seek "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." Work and constant watchfulness are requisite in seeking this kingdom of God; and in so doing there is little danger of any one's wasting his time in idleness. Progress demands discontent with idleness and wrongdoing. The necessity for this is pointed out on page 240 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," where Mrs. Eddy says: "If at present satisfied with wrong-doing, we must learn to loathe it. If at present content with idleness, we must become dissatisfied with it. Remember that mankind must sooner or later, either by suffering or by Science, be convinced of the error that is to be overcome."
