"Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." The writer has received much comfort and healing, upon more than one occasion, through using the twenty-third psalm. But one day the words quoted above seemed to stand out, and the question arose as to how a rod could possibly afford one any sense of comfort. It was seen, on consideration, that a staff symbolizes something to lean upon; that one could obtain much comfort by leaning on the staff of Truth and Love; that the harder one thus leaned the better. But a rod! Where was the comfort in a rod?
Turning away from material sense and matter visions to the realm of the real, the writer saw clearly that a rod typifies spiritual, unbending strength, unwavering uprightness, and, what is equally important, courage to wield that uprightness in present-day experiences through the understanding of divine Principle, which keeps us in the straight and narrow path—the "rod of iron" which will some time rule all nations, as the Bible tells us. This divine rod is also a symbol of correction, of purification and spiritual understanding— God's means of grace. And how much it is needed before one can feel the staff of peace,—the staff of spiritualized thought,—and the everlasting arms of Love!
In Isaiah we read, "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots." Jesus was a direct descendant of Jesse, having perfect spiritual understanding and the spiritual strength and compassion necessary to face whatsoever error presented itself. The following instruction by Mrs. Eddy, on pages 570 and 571 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," is correlative with the example set for us by Jesus: "Many are willing to open the eyes of the people to the power of good resident in divine Mind, but they are not so willing to point out the evil in human thought, and expose evil's hidden mental ways of accomplishing iniquity;" and Mrs. Eddy adds in the next paragraph, "It requires the spirit of our blessed Master to tell a man his faults, and so risk human displeasure for the sake of doing right and benefiting our race."
