THE earnest student of Christian Science, desiring spiritual progress above all else, soon discovers that he advances in proportion as he learns to love. The ever growing concept of God as divine Love which he gains through the study and practice of Christian Science, gradually permeates his consciousness and transforms his whole outlook on life. At the beginning of this study each one doubtless has a different concept of love. An improved concept of divine Love becomes effective in regenerating human character, beautifying it through tenderness, compassion, and humility.
Sometimes one's intellectual grasp of the letter of Christian Science seems to be in advance of his ability to demonstrate the spirit of Truth. Perhaps a quick discernment of wrong conditions is followed by condemnation of persons. Then a fuller understanding of divine Love shows the honest student that the clearer one's detection of a wrong condition, the greater is the need of love through which to heal that condition. Divine Love frees the victim of sin. This is the love which our Master lived and taught. He said to the sinner, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."
The average mortal longs to be loved, longs for companionship; but the only love which satisfies is that which reflects the one Love. The human self thinks it needs to be loved, but the greatest need is to learn to love. It is self-forgetful love which Christian Science unfolds to the humble student.
