WHETHER as an individual or a world problem, unemployment is not taken lightly in Christian Science; but hopelessness is excluded from it and the way is opened for overcoming it altogether, in proportion as this Science is understood.
Christian Science clearly shows that employment is not limited in quantity; that it does not depend on conditions beyond one's control; that it is not even dependent, primarily, on favorable answers from those from whom jobs or orders may be sought. It shows it to be dependent on a manner of thinking, and that this manner of thinking is available for everyone. It is common human experience that certain mental characteristics virtually insure employment. Scattered all through society are persons so resourceful and dependable, so skilled in seeing what needs to be done and how to do it, that they could scarcely be found unemployed. The great boon of Christian Science in this regard is its absolute assurance that the characteristics necessary to satisfactory employment are demonstrable not only by a few, but by all.
Man, Mrs. Eddy has written, in referring to the real, spiritual man, is "the full representation of Mind" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 591). He manifests all its qualities. The resourcefulness, wisdom, steadiness, strength, love, and inspiration of Mind, God, spiritual man expresses perfectly; and in expressing them he is perfectly employed. He enjoys forever the usefulness and security, the progress, and the profound peace and joy that attend perfect employment.
Regardless of contrary evidence, these are the actual spiritual facts about all men; and as the student holds his thought to them, as he discerns and assimilates them through consecrated study and endeavor to practice what he is learning of Christian Science, he finds these spiritual facts excluding the kind of thinking that results in unemployment or in any other phase of inharmony.
In making this demonstration of employment it is helpful to consider closely the kind of thinking one is indulging, in order that it may be made more truly to express divine Mind. Without this watchfulness, thinking quite unlike the nature of divine Mind may be going on without one's being aware of it. The student may well ask himself, for example, whether he has been conceding that conditions in general or in some particular instance are such that it is no use making a whole-hearted effort for satisfactory employment, at least for the present. This, manifestly, is not the kind of thinking which reflects divine Mind and knows that God, good, is changeless and ever present, and that it is man's eternal nature and heritage to experience and show forth good in its fullness.
In a period of apparent general business depression, a large manufacturing concern was found increasing its volume of business and its profits beyond that of the preceding year, in which business had been considered unusually good. Moreover, it was doing this in contrast with declines in both volume and profits in most other concerns in the same line. The head of the business explained that in such a period the temptation usually was to grant upon quite insufficient evidence that there was less than the usual amount of business to be done—less than the usual opportunity for service. His own company, in other years, he said, had had some unhappy experiences in doing just that. This time it had determined to accept no insufficient evidence, but to look as diligently as ever, and even more diligently, for opportunities to serve, and to prosper accordingly.
Not only were the company's salesmen kept regularly at work, but its product was gone over carefully and changed in every practical way that would make it more useful and attractive. It was surprising, the manager said, how many such opportunities for improvement were found when thought was specifically directed to them. The factory's production methods were gone over similarly and a number of new economies worked out, and the savings were shared with the public through lower prices.
What had occurred in this business was that the management had insisted on the availability of good in the face of all contrary sense-testimony, and through painstaking, wise endeavor had been able to prove that good is ever available.
There may be other questions that the one seeking satisfactory employment can usefully ask himself. Is he engaged, to human sense, in some kind of self-depreciation, conceding, for instance, that age, inadequate schooling, personal traits, or his physical condition are shutting him off from the possibility of happy work? God has made no such conditions, and through the understanding of Christian Science the faithful student can overcome these suggestions and their consequences.
Is one, because of too narrow a concept of what is suitable for him, passing by something that really offers the desired opportunities? Is fear or pride or procrastination making him inactive? Is he neglecting to learn more in a practical way about the work he feels he should be doing; or is he holding to old beliefs about how the work should be done, instead of letting thought be properly responsive to better concepts of it? Is he thinking first of how he can get most out of his work, rather than of how he can give most through it? Is he, above all, neglecting to let his thought be continually clarified as to the saving presence and power of divine Love through consistent study of Christian Science and consistent endeavor to practice its teachings?
None of these attitudes, obviously, reflects divine Mind. And as the student faithfully claims his spiritual heritage, there is not one of them, or any other obstructive belief, but will be duly uncovered and corrected, as there may be need, "with signs following." Our Leader has said (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 203), "A deep sincerity is sure of success, for God takes care of it."
The employment to which this endeavor leads is not merely a human position, or even many such positions, desirable as they may seem. It is a clear understanding of the all-ness of God. Primarily, it is realization of His goodness and adequacy, and of His altogether satisfying provision for man, made in His likeness. These are spiritual things; and, appearing in human consciousness, they far surpass in manifest value even "streams in the desert," even satisfactory human employment where there has long seemed to be unemployment and great need. But where this realization of true employment as spiritual reflection takes place, employment that is satisfactory to human sense inevitably follows, in accordance with the Scriptural statement, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
