The clamor of mankind today is largely for proper and sufficient food, clothing, and shelter; yet there was never a time when these were any more available than today. This statement will not seem startling, if one observes the abundant crops of recent years, the plentiful supply of materials, and the untenanted houses. Those who are troubled with insufficiency in their own experience, or are disturbed by seeing the struggles of others to meet even necessary demands, will ask where the lack originates and why it is so prevalent. Lack is a condition of the human mind, as the thinker will admit, and many, at different times, have found themselves short of daily sustenance, proper clothing, right housing. Then, when looking for the explanation of such difficult circumstances as those with which thousands are confronted today, we must begin with human consciousness.
In the thirty-seventh Psalm is this comprehensive statement written by one who evidently had proved the truth of his words: "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." And Christian Science is demonstrating this truth to mankind in this very age.
It appears that salvation from the woes of lack is contingent on righteousness, and that the continued unhappy, limited state of humanity as a whole is due to its refusal to ally itself to righteous living, purposes, pursuits. One of the subtle arguments of error is that one cannot be good, rich, and happy at the same time. That which promotes this gross ignorance is an erroneous sense of what constitutes goodness, riches, and happiness. Christian Science teaches that God is all-inclusive good, substance, and that man is His expression. Then man expresses abundant spiritual goodness, and this goodness is present here and now to meet the human need, for Mary Baker Eddy tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 442), what the world must begin to understand, that "Christ, Truth, gives mortals temporary food and clothing until the material, transformed with the ideal, disappears, and man is clothed and fed spiritually."
Let us analyze each need—food, clothing, shelter—and see just what definitely inspired thinking may be arrayed against the specific arguments of lack and limitation.
Jesus declared, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Indeed, the bread of Life and the wine of inspiration are the only food and drink which can completely satisfy, and their source never fails. The real hunger and thirst, therefore, are for righteousness. One partakes of this nourishment proportionately to one's receptivity to the truth of being.
Sitting in a park one day. the writer was deeply interested in the feeding of some baby birds by the mother. She seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of food at hand, and apparently she could always obtain more. This mother bird was so eager to give food to her little ones, and the tiny birds were so eager to take it, that she literally pushed it into their wide open beaks. If our door of spiritual receptivity is kept wide open we shall, by the prompt dismissal of suggestions of self-pity, fear, impatience, find that our heavenly Parent is able to meet all human needs.
At one time or another a person may have difficulty in procuring proper clothing. Then it is helpful for him, first of all, to know that he is clothed in his right mind, that he is found reflecting the qualities of the one Mind, God, who clothes man in the seamless robe of light, righteousness, and salvation. Very often we hug about us the tatters of mortal thinking, darkness, impurity, hatred, fear, lack, and the outward result in some instances may be seen in insufficient clothing. As we are willing to let go this old tattered thinking, and to become conscious only of spiritual light, joy, sinlessness, love, and trust in God, good, we find that we are already supplied with the beautiful whole raiment which the Father has provided throughout eternity for His children, and that this provision is expressed humanly.
Lastly, what may we say of shelter, the harmonious beauty of home which everyone desires? On page 578 of Science and Health our Leader, in her interpretation of the twenty-third Psalm, defines "house" as "the consciousness of Love." The last sentence reads in part, "And I will dwell in the house [the consciousness] of [LOVE] for ever." What security, what peace, what harmony must constitute that dwelling which is the consciousness of Love only! Builded, furnished, and tenanted with Love's spiritual, substantial ideas, it can never be touched by loss, separation, destruction, shabbiness, darkness. Faith-lighted, it is man's real estate of blessedness demonstrated; it is situated in the kingdom of heaven, the universe of God's ever-presence, in which man holds his individual and eternal citizenship of uprightness and dependability.
Into this true home nothing enters that can defile its established purity, for Spirit guards the door and knows those who enter. Therein abide the sons and daughters of God, Love. Because God, omniactive Love, fills all space, there is no room for fear, lack, or unemployment; there is no infidelity, misunderstanding, selfishness, rivalry, wastefulness, imposition, personal monopoly. Instead, there are associations rich in unselfed love and gracious co-operation, in resourceful industry, faithfulness, forbearance, and the sweet bonds of individual freedom. In this heavenly habitation are entertained the angels of His presence, and the unbiased seeker for the peace that passeth all human understanding finds himself no longer a stranger to Truth, for he is rested and refreshed by the healing, happy, unburdened atmosphere of Truth's activity. His hunger and thirst are turned away from material sense to the feast of good things bounteously spread by Soul; and he goes his way acquainted with the truth of being, by which he is henceforth sustained, and which provides for his human needs.
Be not tempted to doubt, dear friend! The foregoing is not an impractical word picture of a some-time dwelling in the clouds. Day after day, numbers of men and women are actually proving in their own experience, through some such application of their understanding of Christian Science, that God, Love, wisely, tenderly, suitably shelters His children everywhere, His house, divine consciousness, being infinite and having no regional boundaries or limitations.
