At some point during the visits of the prophet Elisha to the Shunammite woman's home, her thought must have been enlightened as to the true nature of the visitor. She tells her husband: "Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither." II Kings 4:9, 10;
May we not see in this request a freedom from the desire to constrain their visitor and a trustfulness to let events unfold naturally? With what confident anticipation she made ready for her visitor to enter in! Little did she know of the great blessing that was to come to her home through her gentle, loving preparation to welcome the "holy man of God."
Much like the experience of the Shunammite woman is that of a Christian Science Reading Room librarian. Our Reading Rooms have been called the open door of our churches every day in the week. The clear, loving, Christlike qualities, so plainly expressed by the "great woman" so many years ago—humility, unselfed love, joyous preparation, patience—exemplify the daily preparation of today's librarian. These qualities opened the door to the "holy man of God" then, and they open the door to the "holy man of God" today. But with fresh vision, for through Christian Science we can see—in everyone—not just a dedicated human being but the holy, spiritual man God made.
