EACH student of Christian Science should ask himself occasionally, What is my attitude toward this Science of Christianity? If one regards Science solely as a means by which human desires can be satisfied, he is far from being a genuine Christian Scientist. If one's attitude toward it is mainly a selfish one, that is, if his aim is simply to further his own human interests, he has failed to understand this Science. We demonstrate truth only as we recognize that man's real selfhood is the image and likeness of God, Love, and strive to reflect divine Love in all our ways.
Christ Jesus in the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30) illustrates the importance of the right attitude. The progressive attitude of two of the servants, together with their aptitude for useful service, earned for them the benediction, "Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." On the other hand, the fearful attitude of another servant, who thought only of himself and showed his inaptitude for progressive activity, earned for himself nothing but a rebuke and loss. From this parable we learn the lesson of the importance of an unselfed attitude, and thus strive to apply this lesson to our study and practice of Christian Science. As we maintain an unselfish attitude, our ability to demonstrate the spiritual facts of harmonious being increases.
In proportion as we abide in a spiritual attitude, in other words, are conscious of man's true selfhood as inseparable from God, shall we draw all men unto us, not that they may serve us, but that we may bless them. "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister," said Christ Jesus (Matt. 20:28). Man, the expression of infinite Truth and Love, has no need of acquisition or accumulation: he already possesses by divine reflection all the qualities of God, Soul. Man is spiritual, perfect, complete, and ever dwells in the omnipresence of God, good. Lack, deprivation, and depletion are unknown to man, God's spiritual reflection, and he is untouched by them. The sole duty of man is to express ever-present Love, and man is conscious of His inexhaustible provision of good.
