Some years ago as he was driving away from a countryside restaurant, a Christian Scientist suddenly realized that the waitress might have omitted from his bill an item that he had ordered. As he was about to return and pay for the item—provided it had been omitted—a very aggressive mental suggestion presented itself, "Don't go back, but get on with your journey." However, there instantly came the thought that if he owed the money it would be dishonest not to return and pay it. This thought immediately silenced the aggressive suggestion, and he returned at once, found that the item had been omitted, and paid the amount due. He learned that had he not paid the money the waitress would have had to do so.
The suggestion that he get on with the journey without going back was, of course, the serpent's whisper of dishonesty. The thought that arrested this suggestion was, however, an idea of God, Truth, that impelled him to return and do what was honest. As he paid the amount due, he felt in his heart a great peace and love for his fellowmen.
During the day, as he thought back on this simple experience and its valuable lessons, it came to him clearly that he had done not only the honest thing but also the loving, humane, just, and, therefore, the wise and intelligent thing. He saw that honest thoughts and deeds are accompanied by other Christly qualities, such as humanity, justice, peace, love, joy, and wisdom. He perceived, in other words, that the other Christly qualities follow in the wake of the heavenly virtue of moral integrity.
