As a child, my favorite part of the Christmas story was the coming of the three wise men, and it still is. Then I was fascinated by their journey from a distant and mysterious land, as they brought gifts for the child Jesus. Now I'm a college professor, and I love the example of these ancient scholars who witnessed the coming of the Christ! Great humility was demanded of them as they knelt before the manger. They had to be willing to put aside their preconceived notions, their pride of scholarship, and come to worship this humble child on their knees. But in doing so, they proved that they were really wise, not merely learned.
When I first began my university education, I used to wonder about the value of it all, especially for a student of Christian Science. And, in fact, from time to time I'd get warnings from some church friends against "intellectualism." They seemed to feel that dipping into philosophy, literature, natural science, and history would destroy my faith. Their concerns were genuine, and I prayed earnestly about them. But the message that came to me was a strong "Go forward," so I did. And the predictions didn't turn out to be true for me. I think one important reason was that from the outset I worked to keep my priorities straight. I found that intellectual activity is by no means the enemy of spiritual growth. But spiritual growth comes first. It's a seeking first of the kingdom of God See Matt. 6:33. that brings everything—scholarship included—into clear focus.
There were some specific strategies I followed to put my priorities into practice. I made sure that God and my study of Christian Science came first in my heart and in my daily schedule. I began each day with a time for prayer, quiet listening, and study of the Bible Lesson in the Christian Science Quarterly. No matter how pushed and busy I felt, I protected this opportunity for communion with God. It wasn't a ritual; to me it was a necessity. It bound up my wounds, it quieted my fears, it rebuked selfishness, and it gave me courage and strength when I felt I had reached the end of my endurance. I delved into that Lesson-Sermon with the same sort of vigor and care that I applied to my academic studies—and I approached those academic studies as well as my study of Christian Science with prayer.
