Each individual's human experience is the outward expression of his sense of values, or, in other words, of what he values enough to take into his consciousness. The importance we place on everything that touches our experience quite naturally determines its consequence in our lives. Glorious improvements could result, individually and for our movement, if every student were to ask himself daily, "How do I value Christian Science?" and then pray to value it even more highly than the day before.
That question, in substance, confronted me forcefully during a period when I seemed so busy with what I felt were legitimate and useful activities that church attendance and Christian Science study slid to secondary importance. The reasoning was that church and our books were always with me but that this work was imperative now. Suddenly one day I asked myself the startling questions: If Christian Science were to be taken away from me, possibly beyond recall, how much would I be willing to pay or what would I gladly do to try to get it back? If church were taken away, would I miss it? Would I find that Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy was not really essential? Could I do without the Bible just as well? Or would I joyfully give every penny I possessed and drop all other activities in an attempt to retrieve the treasure? The inescapable answer promptly brought my human activities into proper proportion and perspective in my affairs.
How much are we willing to give of our love, our undivided attention, our dedicated service, in return for the truths that Christian Science, through the selfless gift of our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, to mankind, has made available? True, we know that in reality there is no separation between the creator and His idea, no barrenness of love between Father and child. But through the faithful pursuit of Truth we must earn the understanding with which to demonstrate these facts. No one will say that this understanding is gained quickly and easily, but it is essential.
