The words of the Bible (Isa. 43:10), "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord," indicate a high and holy task which we can perform only if our character has been purified from the dross of human imperfection and refined in the fire of truth. This purification takes place as we give up material thinking and adhere to the facts of true being—to the nobility, purity, and loveliness of man in God's likeness. Christian Science teaches us that it depends entirely upon ourselves, upon our own thinking, whether our lives will be successful, a blessing to ourselves and to others. Whether we harbor material or divine thoughts, or express mortal or divine qualities, is what determines the amount of good we experience. The Bible says (Gal. 6:7), "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." How little do men realize that their character and their mental attitude are often the cause of their failures or successes.
If we were to build a house and could choose any material we liked, we would not think of selecting rotten, decaying timbers; instead, we would carefully select the most durable and worth-while materials. Now let us ask ourselves honestly if in the building of our own lives we are using the same care in choosing our thought materials? How many rickety timbers of fear and doubt, of unfriendliness and selfishness, are frequently included in the thought material of the human consciousness! Is it any wonder, then, that such thinking leads to disappointments and failures? We should always keep in mind Mary Baker Eddy's words in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 392): "Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously."
In the work of proving our real character, self-knowledge is indispensable. The knowledge of God and the real man as His likeness enables us to recognize our true selfhood perfect in its reflection of health and uprightness and to give up any sense of self which is not included in the true. Self-knowledge requires strict honesty with oneself. It puts an end to the inclination of the human self to excuse its own temperament and faults. It requires watchfulness and examination of the thoughts and motives which are the basis of our actions. We should never be offended by a just rebuke, but rather grateful for it, since in helping us to recognize our mistakes more quickly it is a blessing and forwards our spiritual growth.
