So manifold are the natural, legal, or moral obligations or duties by which individuals seem to be bound, it is only reasonable to believe that Thomas Carlyle stated an obvious fact when he said, "The situation that has not its Duty, its Ideal, was never yet occupied by man."
In whatever form the ideal of duty may be presented, it reveals a more ethical nature than that of mere material activity. Some ideal, or ultimate good, motivates to a certain extent one's sense of duty even in the small events of daily life, which, if adhered to, may change a burdensome sense of duty into one of privilege, advantage, or blessing. The effective execution of the duties or requirements belonging to one's station in life, fulfilling one's moral, social, and financial obligations, as well as having an interest in the general welfare—such demands should not be considered as hardships, but as reasonable responsibilities arising out of the nature of things, bringing with them the privilege of satisfying realization to every conscientious person.
Christian Science, in accord with the Scriptures, teaches that one's entire duty—or that which comprises his whole being and ideal—consists in loving God and keeping His commandments, which includes all lesser requirements. Every duty rightly discerned, and fulfilled in the spirit of obedience and with the desire to do the will of the Father, makes it a privilege, a joy, to do whatever the hand finds to do. This mental attitude is best exemplified in the life of Christ Jesus. As a child in his home in the village of Nazareth, Jesus learned obedience and self-discipline, and at the age of twelve, although he recognized that he must be about his Father's business, he continued to be subject to his mother and Joseph, performing his duties in the family circle and learning his Scriptural lessons. Yet these activities were hallowed-as privileges, for "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."
