Many of the demands made on nations and individuals seem burdensome. The college student must gain knowledge in his field to prepare for some profession, and at the same time he must maintain his social standing. The housewife should maintain a well-kept home and also be an active community supporter. The businessman must meet competition and still maintain the quality of his product. There is no doubt that progressive and worthy demands must be fulfilled, but men faced with contrary requirements are apt to wonder which demands are most important.
Mrs. Eddy clearly states what the legitimate demands on man are. She writes in Science and Health (p. 184), "Truth, Life, and Love are the only legitimate and eternal demands on man, and they are spiritual lawgivers, enforcing obedience through divine statutes. Controlled by the divine intelligence, man is harmonious and eternal."
When a demand seems overwhelming to us, we may well ask: "Is this demand expressing Truth, Life, and Love? Is this demand just, vital, and moral? Does it verify, actuate, and honor Principle?" If the answer is Yes, then it is a demand which expresses the will of our heavenly Father, and it includes the divine properties and impetus to fulfill it. If it seems impossible for us to fulfill a legitimate demand, we are not acknowledging the source or the provisions of the demand. Our Father's will embodies mighty, positive forces, which destroy any materialism that would claim to thwart spiritual ascendancy.
