Mary and Martha, and their brother Lazarus, lived together in the little village of Bethany, in Judea. They were intimate and beloved friends of the great Master, Christ Jesus. On a certain occasion, he was a guest in their home. Anxious to see that their honored guest was properly entertained, Martha was busily engaged "about much serving," while Mary, her sister, "sat at Jesus' feet," listening to his word.
Apparently more interested in the material and temporal than her sister Mary, and seemingly affected with a sense of self-pity, Martha came to Jesus and asked the Master to bid her sister participate in the serving. The Master quickly responded, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Mary had chosen to learn the glorious truth which Jesus said and proved would set men free—free from human discord, disease, sin, want, and woe.
How often we allow a sense of secular responsibilities and activities to occupy our time and thought to such an extent that we deprive ourselves of the "good part," the better part, namely, quiet meditation, listening to the voice of Christ, Truth, which is ever available to guide us in our demonstration of God's infinite goodness! How often we awake, sometimes after much suffering, to find that we have not put first things first; that we have not first of all sought "the kingdom of God, and his righteousness," which meets every human need! How often, because of their lack of spiritual enlightenment, have men been seriously misled in their undertakings! Christ Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God"—see and experience good.
Is there not a better way than war and strife, sickness and sorrow, discord and poverty? Indeed there is; and Truth illumines for us this better way. Through the inspired teachings of Christian Science, many in every land are finding their way out of the entanglements of mortal belief, human discord, and suffering, and are being blessed with health, happiness, and plenty. This way out is the way of Christ, Truth, and we walk in it in proportion to our understanding of and obedience to Truth. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, writes (p. 264), "When we learn the way in Christian Science and recognize man's spiritual being, we shall behold and understand God's creation,—all the glories of earth and heaven and man."
When we choose the better part, like Mary of Bethany, our uppermost desire is to learn the truth concerning God and man. And as we learn the true Science of being, as we learn to think rightly and bring our thinking into harmony with the one divine Mind, God, we find this all-knowing Mind to be our ever-present guide and protection, ever supplying our needs. Indeed, the only true way is the way of His righteousness, the way which leads to all that is good.
In his exhortation to the Israelites, Joshua counseled them, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Jesus, in his inspired Sermon on the Mount, declared: "No man can serve two masters. . . . Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Yes, it is plain that we cannot serve God and enjoy abundant spiritual good while devoting our thoughts mainly to materiality, to vain amusements and pursuits.
Albeit human footsteps in constructive and useful activities may still seem necessary, we need, first of all, to understand and acknowledge the omnipotence of our Father-Mother, God. We need to pause humbly at the feet of Christ, Truth, and listen to the "still small voice," assuring us of Love's protection and of the ever-availability of divine energy and wisdom. As we come to know our real selfhood, as we reflect the one omnipotent Mind, we minimize materiality. Then our human relations become more joyful and more productive of good, and we find our daily duties and activities greatly simplified.
A business woman who had become interested in Christian Science attended a Christian Science Wednesday meeting and heard a testimony of healing which served to awaken her to new and higher aspirations. She had been in the habit of spending part of her luncheon period each day in certain indoor amusements, and nearly all her evenings in social entertainment, while for the most part her Sundays were given to outdoor sports. Having had her thought awakened, she decided to give less time to amusements, entertainments, and sports, spend some time each day in a Christian Science Reading Room, and attend church regularly on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings.
As a result she began to understand God and man and man's relationship to God. She felt a growing desire to be kinder, more tolerant, and more loving. Her spiritual vision grew clearer, and she began to see her true selfhood. Within a comparatively short time she was advanced to an executive position in business, found herself liberated from a false appetite which she had indulged for several years, and was completely healed of a physical ailment which had troubled her from girlhood.
What a joy it is to look away from materialism, and to dwell mentally in the realm of divine Mind, Life, Truth, and Love, where all is perfect, beautiful, and harmonious! Through Christian Science all may awake to a realization of the great fact that God, Spirit, is All-in-all. All may learn the unreality, the nothingness, of that which appears to mortal sense as evil, sickly, or discordant. Knowing the joy, freedom, health, and genuine happiness which come from the understanding of Truth, the discarding of erroneous mortal beliefs and practices, who would not earnestly look to Christ, Truth, for spiritual enlightenment? Mrs. Eddy writes (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 19): "Between the centripetal and centrifugal mental forces of material and spiritual gravitations, we go into or we go out of materialism or sin, and choose our course and its results. Which, then, shall be our choice,—the sinful, material, and perishable, or the spiritual, joy-giving, and eternal?"
Choosing for themselves the better part, multitudes, throughout the world, regularly attend the Christian Science church services and lectures, and utilize the Christian Science Reading Rooms. These students are earnestly setting themselves to learn the truth that sets men free. They are learning to minimize the importance of material and temporal activities and conditions. They are learning the wisdom of laying aside material amusements and troubled cares. They are putting first things first, thus liberating themselves from sin, disease, discord, suffering, sorrow, and poverty.
Our thoughts make us what we are, and each individual has the inherent right to learn to think aright. In view of this great fact, and since we experience only what we think, who would not choose to learn of God, infinite good, and to entertain only good thoughts?
