Christian Science teaches us that it is wise never to shirk the responsibility that is ours, or to take on work which belongs to another. Mary Baker Eddy writes in her Message to The Mother Church for 1900 (p. 8): "Usefulness is doing rightly by yourself and others. We lose a percentage due to our activity when doing the work that belongs to another."
When one views man as God's idea or reflection, he sees that all of God's ideas are efficient, intelligent, strong, loyal, and steadfast, and then he is able to let go of a false sense of responsibility. Giving more time to prayer and spiritualization of thought, we find in our human affairs the right helpers and see the work evenly distributed among them.
A student of Christian Science became overburdened when three men in an office all asked her to do stenographic work for them. When no one noticed that she was doing more than her share, she went to a Christian Science practitioner for help. She told the practitioner that she had been thinking about her work not only before she went to the office, but also while she was there, and again when at home. And she was resentful.
After listening to what had been going on, the practitioner said, "There is nothing more tiring than going over and over in one's thinking what one has done or is going to do." The practitioner then pointed out that one's real work is to reflect his creator and that this can never be tiring. In realizing the allness of God and her real activity as His reflection, the student found peace and joy. She did not think of her office work that night.
The next morning the head of the department told her that from that time on she would only be working for two men. The one for whom she would no longer work was the one who had given her the most to do. She saw that when she stopped ruminating about a wrong situation and dwelt on the truth regarding man and God's government of him, the law of harmony began to operate in her behalf.
If fear, overconscientiousness, pride, or egotism tempts us to do the work that belongs to another, we can overcome the temptation by realizing that all of God's ideas move in the rhythm of Spirit and are controlled by the one Mind. We must see man as spiritual and perfect and not attribute to any individual a lack of honesty, co-operation, enthusiasm, joy, or strength and thus perpetuate a false belief.
In any line of endeavor, we should insist mentally on the fact that there is no deficiency in God's kingdom. This truth understood and demonstrated results in an adequacy of workers to fill all vacancies. We cannot do justice to our own work while thinking in terms of material lack or over-action.
The homemaker as she realizes spiritual adequacy should expect adequate assistance with her housework to ensure her ample time for proper study and recreation. The storekeeper or the manager of the factory or office should, through prayer and spiritual understanding of perfection, expect plenty of helpers. We should also in the same manner anticipate that in our churches there will be workers for all offices.
Christian Science teaches us to spiritualize thought about each condition that presents itself and thereby see good evidenced in every phase of human experience. Perhaps one has served in nearly every capacity in a Christian Science church and feels he should no longer serve in elective offices or on committees. But does this mean that he has less love for his church or prays for it less? By his being constant in his prayers for the church, his contribution could be the biggest he has yet made to it. He can still maintain his love and warmth for all church activities.
When we understand, as Jesus did, that it is "the Father that . . . doeth the works" (John 14: 10), we see that right decisions, right discernment, and right management have to be manifested. God cannot make mistakes; thus man, as His reflection, cannot. We must realize that God's work is finished in Mind. Improved human conditions appear with improved thinking, not because the human or material is real, but because the human consciousness yields to Truth and lets go of some of its erroneous beliefs.
At one time, because of my love for the Cause of Christian Science, I had taken one office after another in the branch church of which I was a member. As I talked to another member about my accepting an appointment to another committee, he jokingly exclaimed, "You are a glutton for punishment!" This remark made me think, and I soon realized that it would be wisdom to resign from one of the offices I was holding.
My successor in this office was much better equipped than I to fill it, and she had more time to give to it. I had unconsciously accepted the belief that there were not enough well-qualified workers, and this belief was hindering someone else from serving. By stepping aside, I assumed my other duties with greater freedom and found more time to study the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings.
One should no more admit that there is a lack of workers in the Father's vineyard than he should admit a lack of health, supply, or love. In the allness of God, there is an abundance of ideas to be used; there is no lack. As we prove this truth, our work for Christian Science will go on. But it will not be burdensome, for we shall find that, as Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 517, 518): "Man is not made to till the soil. His birthright is dominion, not subjection. He is lord of the belief in earth and heaven,—himself subordinate alone to his Maker."
