THE problem of lack is so worldwide that the Christian Scientist needs to do some clear, constructive thinking about it. Money claims, through its absence, to bring about conditions of poverty and limitation; whereas, scientifically speaking, the real man always has abundance. According to divine Science, all the material conditions and circumstances that claim to govern mortals are part of a discordant dream: they are externalizations of erroneous material thinking. People who have confidence in the ability of Christian Science to heal their sicknesses are willing also to rely on its truth for their daily bread.
Referring to Truth as being more potent than any lower remedies in the healing of disease, our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, says (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 181), "And why not, since Mind, God, is the source and condition of all existence?" To one student the truth that God is "the source and condition" of all existence has been a constant inspiration.
In Proverbs there is the beautiful prayer—"Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me." Because God, good, has made all that is, what is called matter is not true supply. The real man, being the expression of God, reflects true substance. One's need, primarily, is never for money, though mortals are tempted to think otherwise. The yearning for money, as such, beclouds thought; but the truth, brought to bear upon a problem, uplifts and spiritualizes one's thinking, until it is seen that man, as God's idea, is not circumscribed by matter; neither is he governed by either poverty or riches. When we believe that we lack something, this belief shuts out the evidence of spiritual abundance. But Principle governs all that really exists.
One may say: Without money I cannot meet my liabilities, or maintain my business, or even live; one must be practical. It is just at this point that we do, indeed, need to be practical and promptly deny the false belief that would usurp the authority to which Jesus referred when he said of the Christ, "Without me ye can do nothing." We must strive to grasp, not the shadow, but the substance. It is the spiritual idea which governs the particular circumstance in which, in belief, we find ourselves. Spiritual ideas work wonders. If we fail in demonstration, it may be because we are looking merely at the things which are seen, and not at the things which are unseen; we may be looking to matter for our supply instead of to the appropriate idea. True substance must not be overlooked in our efforts to grasp the material object. We say, My income is limited to so much. And we are apt to sit down under a sense of limitation; and we shall so continue until we rouse ourselves from the mesmerism that matter is real.
Once, on looking into her purse, a student found therein only a single small coin; and so far as she knew there was no possibility of any augmentation for the next three weeks. A sense of dismay was immediately followed by a flood of joy when it was remembered that a coin could not bind her within its limits, for God was pouring out the riches' of His love upon her every moment. In the definition of "purse" in the Glossary to Science and Health (p. 593) our Leader has no word to say in its favor. This is significant, because it rouses us to note which way our thoughts are leaning. Jesus knew that man possesses all good by reflection. And we cannot too often remind ourselves that God, good, is man's "source and condition," and lean upon the understanding of spiritual substance.
In respect to giving, the Israelites had rules laid down for their guidance. They were to give a tenth of what they possessed. This was probably a greater test than the giving of a set amount. Equal effort was expected from all, though the amount of the tithe would be different, according to circumstances. It is well to ask: What governs our giving? Is it poverty or merely mechanical giving; or is it, in the words of our dear Leader(Miscellaneous Writings, p. 397; Poems, p. 13),
"An offering pure of Love, whereto
God leadeth me"?
Principle has numberless ways of meeting our needs. In the wilderness the shoes of the Israelites did not wear out. The scientific thought found water in the burning desert. The loaves and fishes were multiplied by Christ Jesus' understanding of true substance. When governed by scientific thinking, one's daily supply is assured. What we most need is spiritualized thinking along all lines. It is good practice to look persistently away from matter, with its limiting shackles, into the boundless freedom of the sons of God. We should turn away from false beliefs about any situation to the truths of being. The problem can be solved where we stand. Holding to inspiring thoughts, we shall meet our obligations ungrudgingly. "God loveth a cheerful giver."
One meaning of the word "supply" is to substitute. To substitute a thought of abundance whenever the belief of lack presents itself, aids in the demonstration of supply. A study of the life of Elijah is profitable and illuminating in this respect. When famine raged throughout the land, the prophet was led to the brook Cherith, where he was fed by ravens. When the brook dried up he went to a widow in Zarephath, who was preparing, as she thought, her last meal, that she and her son might eat it and die. On the surface of things, could Elijah have been led into a more hopeless situation? When he asked her to give him of her last meal, her spiritual receptivity came out strongly. She gave as he bade her do, and the demonstration was made for all concerned. Elijah's life was full of "the beauty of holiness" and of faith in God's love. For forty days and forty nights he went through the desert to Mount Horeb on the meal prepared for him by the angel of the Lord. Even in the wilderness there was a fire, with bread ready baked and water to drink! Remembering this, can we doubt God's tender care? How fraught with spiritual significance was that meal! Eating of merely material food, we hunger yet again; but Elijah went in the strength of that meal forty days.
When we cease to rely on any merely material source for our supply, limitation begins to disappear. Perhaps we understand a little more clearly now why "the love of money" is denounced by Paul as "the root of all evil." That which we love we serve and lean upon. Limited thought must be freed or we shall never attain the vision of the spiritual abundance which ever exists in the presence of God, infinite good.
In the first sentence of the Preface to Science and Health Mrs. Eddy shows us what should be our daily hope and practice. She writes, "To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings." May we earnestly ask ourselves, Which way are we leaning?
