Numbers in the world today have come to accept the healing power of Christian Science without question, and many also are turning to this Science for the healing of sick businesses. For them the popular rules in business upon which people have relied are being proved to be as houses built "upon the sand," and in their place the rules expressive of omnipotent Principle are being recognized. Mary Baker Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p.128): "The term Science, properly understood, refers only to the laws of God and to His government of the universe, inclusive of man. From this it follows that business men and cultured scholars have found that Christian Science enhances their endurance and mental powers, enlarges their perception of character, gives them acuteness and comprehensiveness and an ability to exceed their ordinary capacity."
From a human point of view a business must have an owner, someone responsible for its growth, continuance, activity, and success. In order to prosper it must have customers, employees, trade territory, credit, and money. It has been proved only too often, however, that primal dependence upon material conditions has brought worry and disappointment, oftentimes failure, discontent, and unhappiness.
Now let us reverse our thinking and begin to engage our time and labor in the right business—the Father's business, whose resources are infinite, whose only director is divine Principle. Wisdom and justice form its methods, Love determines its policy, and integrity accompanies every operation.
Webster defines business as "that which busies or engages one's time, attention, or labor, as a principal serious employment." Man, as the image and likeness of God, is infinitely engaged in expressing goodness, activity, kindness, love. In fact he expresses all the qualities of God forever. Thus it will be seen that man's real business is the active expression of God. the only cause, divine Principle, and that cause and effect are inseparable. One cannot exist without the other. True business therefore is the activity of being —expressing or reflecting God.
Mortal man takes pride in saying that he owns a business, and that it is a very successful enterprise. Consciously or unconsciously he feels responsible for its continuance, for the pressure of supply and demand on it, its income and outgo, profit and loss, and he feels the stress of competition. He forgets that there is only one business—the Father's business. Is not this what Jesus meant when he said, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" The acknowledgment of God as the only owner and employer, and as the source of all activity and right thinking, will bring about our release from worry and fear, strikes and labor disputes. As one begins to see God as his employer he will realize the absolute impossibility of any injustice, overwork, unemployment, or improper remuneration, since these negative conditions are no part of God or His creation. And God, as the true employer, cannot be conscious of or harassed by human indolence, indifference, unfair and unjust demands, inactivity, and dissatisfaction.
In economics we are taught that supply and demand are potential factors in business, and that these in turn govern income and outgo, which in turn govern employment and unemployment. Now let us change this order. Is it not true that if we meet the demands of God as given to us in the Ten Commandments we shall receive the supply promised to us in the Beatitudes? It was also in the same Sermon on the Mount that Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." The only demand that can really exist is that of ever-present good, which God always supplies. Thus it will be seen that demand can never exceed supply, nor supply ever exceed demand, and so is brought about a constant harmonious activity or business.
Very closely allied to supply and demand are profit and loss. Profit is generally considered as that which one gains over and above what one started with. Then our share of the profit in God's business is the increase or progress we have made in understanding, love, honesty, and true activity, and the only loss one can sustain through this business is the lessening of discouragement, doubt, and fear. Was not the fact that "twelve baskets full" were gathered after the multitude was fed in the desert a proof that Jesus' business was the activity of right thinking?
There is scarcely a business today that is not confronted with the problem of competition in some form. Webster tells us that "competition implies a struggle or contest between two or more persons for the same object." From a material point of view this brings up many problems, and competition oftentimes engenders dishonesty, greed, and hate. How grateful we can be to know that the "struggle or contest" for good, for an understanding of God and man's at-one-ment with Him, can mean business or right activity to us and at the same time does not deprive anyone else of his rightful activity. Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p.124), "Adhesion, cohesion, and attraction are properties of Mind." Thus one cannot be deprived of activity if one is striving to live up to the highest ideals of good "and obeying the Ten Commandments. Instead, we find the statement, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me," to be gloriously true and practicable. Honesty must attract honesty, goodness must attract goodness, and love must be reflected in loveliness. Because adhesion and cohesion are properties of Mind, their activity cannot be taken from one or destroyed. God has no competitor. Consequently there can be no competition in true activity or in reflecting God. And so we see that it is an impossibility for any person or concern to injure or destroy the welfare and activity of an idea of God. If this statement were not true and absolute, we should be faced with the fact that a mortal and all his activities are more potent than God. Peter tells us, "And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?"
Another problem in business is that of demonstrating the ability or power to perform the task at hand. Here one ever needs to be on guard against the subtle suggestions of inexperience, fear, self-depreciation, ignorance, and doubt. Man, the likeness of God, reflects divine Mind in wisdom and courage. When men fully understand our Leader's statement (Pulpit and Press, p. 3), "Know, then, that you possess sovereign power to think and act rightly, and that nothing can dispossess you of this heritage and trespass on Love," they will acknowledge their birthright of infinite activity.
