JESUS was walking by the Galilean sea when he saw the two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, who were fishermen. To these men the Master extended the simple, loving invitation (Matt. 4:19), "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." And "they straightway left their nets, and followed him."
What was the nature of the attraction which impelled Peter and Andrew to leave their fishing nets and their brethren to follow Christ Jesus? Our Master was deeply conscious of the dignity of man as the reflection of infinite Mind. The attraction which drew these men to Jesus was the divine Love reflected by our Master.
The two fishermen, who were to become valued apostles, must have realized that they were in the presence of one who reflected more than anyone else the light and warmth of divine Love. Jesus, as always, was clearly conscious of the ever-presence of his Father-Mother Love and of the perfection and spirituality of man as the image of Love. He was profoundly interested in the welfare of all men, and now he beheld two men whose thought was sufficiently humble and childlike to become his apostles. Responding to the call of the Christ, Andrew and Peter must have been filled with such joy that they desired to learn more of that Love which was Jesus' constant companion. Here is an inspiring example of the attractiveness of Truth, which, when expressed, inevitably draws the interest of the receptive thought.
God is Mind and, as the Bible declares, He is also Love. The ever-presence and omnipotence of God, Mind, preclude the possibility of any other mind or power. Mankind needs to awaken to this fact and to reject the false claims of mortal mind that love and hate commingle and engage in a prolonged combat.
True qualities, such as lovableness, generosity, interest, co-operation, and harmony, are inherent in the real man, who is a compound idea reflecting the perfect spiritual activity of the Father, Mind. When we identify ourselves as Love's perfect idea and refute the suggestion of mortal sense that man can be destroyed by an opposite power called evil, we shall rejoice in increasingly successful healing activity.
The Love which Christ Jesus expressed is forever conscious only of its perfect, sinless idea, man. No unattractive qualities, such as hate, fear, envy, intolerance, or indifference, can exist where Love's ever-presence is realized. A student of Christian Science recently had an experience which convinced him that when we admit into thought only the qualities worthy of the son of the loving Father-Mother God, we enjoy an increased sense of harmony, and our relations with our neighbors are happified.
An employer called attention in a forceful way to recurrent mistakes made by this student, who then allowed self-justification and false pride to mesmerize him into resentment and hatred. Mortal mind argued that he was unable to conquer these errors. In an effort to solve his problem, the student's thought turned to the Way-shower. He realized that Jesus never once ceased loving his neighbors, even when there seemed every human reason not to do so. Why was this? Mary Baker Eddy explains it in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 476, 477): "Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God's own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick. Thus Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is intact, universal, and that man is pure and holy."
The student then saw that he was not a mortal with a tendency to make careless errors, and his employer could not be gruff and sarcastic, for both were in their true being perfect reflections of infinite Love, impelled by Love to express good will, accuracy, harmony, and joy. The healing was immediate and permanent. He stopped making errors, the employer became considerate and friendly, and fellow workers expressed great kindness. The student rejoiced in the proof of the statement (ibid., p. 243), "Love has no sense of hatred."
Mortal mind would argue that attraction is a physical quality. This false sense of attraction is sometimes revealingly called personal magnetism. It is claimed that this so-called power is desirable and the possession of some persons, but that others, not so fortunate, may not hope to gain it. Christian Science utterly denies the belief that true attraction is physical or mortal, but rather maintains that it is entirely spiritual and eternal and belongs to man as Mind's reflection. It is expressed by all men in proportion to their awareness of the ever-presence of Love and their real nature as the reflection of Love.
Referring to his Christly nature, Jesus said (John 12:32), "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." The attraction of Love is an eternal fact in divine Science which may be demonstrated today as in Jesus' time. Those who knew Mrs. Eddy personally speak of her great poise and her loving interest in all those with whom she came in contact. She was always ready with a cheerful greeting or a healing word; truly she radiated love.
A Christian Science Organization had existed in an American university for some years, but meetings were irregular and interest was not great among the students. There were only a few active Scientists, and many of these had but recently become interested. Nevertheless, a decision was made to hold weekly meetings and to endeavor to attract as many as possible to them. The members realized that what was needed was not more social activities or more personal leadership, but the impelling power of divine Love. They worked to know how best to express impartial and universal Love. Almost immediately attendance improved, non-Scientists were attracted to the meetings and became interested in Christian Science, and members testified to many healings. An increased sense of unity and love was evidenced, and many friendships were formed.
These young Scientists had come to realize, to some extent, the true nature of Love as God, and when they spiritualized their consciousness, they saw man as naturally attractive, loving, and worthy of love. They had come to see that Love is universal and impartial, bestowing on all its ideas immeasurable good.
