If someone were to ask, "How large is your income?" one would perhaps think the question presumptuous and too personal. But when considered in the light of Christian Science, the question, "How large is your income?" demands a simple, direct answer.
Each of us can reply with assurance and truth, "My income is truly abundant." Yes, our income is abundant because it is supplied by God, Spirit, who constantly pours out riches and blessings to all His children. Our income is spiritual because as the children of God we are spiritual.
If we are to understand the teachings of Christian Science in regard to income and supply, "the scientific statement of being," given by Mary Baker Eddy in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," must be thoroughly understood. In this profound statement our Leader declares (p. 468): "There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual."
Since "God is All-in-all," true income is from God. Since the real man is not material, he does not depend upon material circumstances for his income. Since God's man is spiritual, it is natural and normal for one to spiritualize his concept regarding income, salaries, and other financial factors which seem to enter into the daily human experience called "making a living."
The wise person places his trust in spiritual income, an income that can never fluctuate or be lost. Spiritual supply is always abundant, always ever present. We have this promise in Proverbs (8: 20,21): "I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures."
The Bible and the writings of Mrs. Eddy are full of assurances concerning the spiritual incoming of good. Our Leader says in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 307): "God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies. Never ask for to-morrow: it is enough that divine Love is an ever-present help; and if you wait, never doubting, you will have all you need every moment."
Christ Jesus was constantly making use of spiritual ideas to supply daily needs. Consider his turning the water into wine; his instructing Peter to get the tribute money from the mouth of the fish; his feeding the multitudes with the seven loaves and few small fishes. In every instance Jesus depended entirely upon the unfoldment of spiritual ideas to supply the immediate human need. He never entertained doubt or dismay concerning the source of supply. He knew that the supply was already there, even before the demand was apparent.
From these experiences of Jesus, the Way-shower, many valuable lessons can be learned by the student of Christian Science. The Master was always able to see the infinite nature of supply, of all substance, as infinite Spirit. Just before he fed the multitude, the crowd and even his own disciples undoubtedly saw only the material evidence of a few loaves and fishes. Jesus was able to see beyond the human picture into the realm of limitless Mind, where every divine idea exists. If he had for an instant recognized or admitted lack, he never would have been able to feed the multitudes.
Jesus was always grateful. In the Biblical account of his feeding the people, it is recorded that he first gave thanks to God for the supply. Jesus was never concerned about future needs. It was he who taught us to pray (Matt. 6:11): "Give us this day our daily bread."
If one is tempted to believe that his income is small or insufficient, let him ask himself: "How large is my income of Godlike thoughts? Am I keeping my consciousness constantly receptive to the good and true ideas of perfect God and perfect man?" If so, the infinite range of pure thoughts will be reflected in one's present experience by an abundant manifestation of supply.
But if we find a sense of limitation, lack, smallness, or envy entering thought, these finite qualities of mortal mind will seem to be manifested in our human experience. To rid ourselves of these unpleasant conditions, we must enlarge our concept of God as all substance, as Spirit, as the infinite One.
In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy states (p. 88), "Ideas are emanations from the divine Mind." An emanation is something which issues forth. Therefore these divine ideas are constantly pouring forth from Mind, as from an inexhaustible fountain. Spiritual ideas are ceaselessly appearing to be used in daily living. There is actually never any lack of right ideas.
It is our priceless privilege to accept these emanations from Mind as our income, as our spiritual unfoldment. The divine Mind that is constantly pouring out ideas is ever expressed by God's man. As we learn more of God as Mind, we shall be able to make more and better use of these spiritual ideas. We must claim the one Mind as actually our Mind by reflection and the intelligence of this one Mind as our intelligence. The one Mind is unlabored, and as we acknowledge this truth, our human experience of earning a living will be an unlabored experience, a joyous task.
A young couple, both students of Christian Science, had an outstanding opportunity to put to use the understanding of divine Mind as the Giver of spiritual ideas, which supply daily needs. The couple were anticipating a long trip of several thousand miles. There seemed to be a lack of funds to make the journey. However, plans for the trip continued, according to the leadings of divine Principle. Each felt that the trip was right. Its primary purpose was twofold—to attend an annual association meeting and to visit loved ones.
The couple humbly resolved to trust wholly to the unfoldment of divine Mind. They resolved to enlarge their income of right ideas, to pray more earnestly for guidance. In so doing, they found several ways of augmenting their financial income at that time so that the trip was undertaken successfully and happily.
Being infinite in nature, God has infinite ways to care for His children. Mind possesses of itself all wisdom, all knowledge, all intelligence, and man reflects these spiritual possessions. As we recognize and accept this fact completely, we shall be capable of carrying forth activities and endeavors far more successfully than we ever could by merely depending upon material education and training for our supply. We can be assured by the words of the Apostle Paul to the early Christians (Phil. 4:19), "My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
The alert Christian Scientist might well ask himself each day, "How large is my income?" If he is daily progressing spiritually, casting off old, limiting material beliefs and replacing them with infinite ideas, he can answer with assurance, "My income is truly abundant."
