It didn't matter whether horse races were enjoyable or occasionally profitable. What did matter was understanding God's invariable goodness. This is what I glimpsed as a new student of Christian Science. I had scheduled an appointment with a Christian Science practitioner to discuss how I should view gambling. I explained that my dad loved horses. He delighted in their beauty, grace, strength, and speed. And taking advantage of the opportunity to make a little extra money on the side was also of interest to him. So, my family had enjoyed the races for many years, and as far as I could see, it had never brought us harm. I was aware that there were people at the track who struggled with addiction to gambling, and who appeared to be spending funds needed for life's necessities. But I thought: "Couldn't that simply be an individual's own prerogative? Aren't there abuses with all sports? And what about other innocent forms of gambling, such as drawings and raffles that support worthy causes, and lotteries that draw in millions of dollars for government use?" I was actually offended when I learned that these activities and Christian Science don't mix.
That's when the practitioner calmly explained the difference it makes in one's life to learn to depend upon God's constant care rather than to believe in, or support with our participation, a random sense of good. First, he explained some Bible-based spiritual facts: God is all good. His unalterable goodness permeates His creation and is established throughout eternity. God is inextinguishable Life and enduring Love. He expresses Himself in uninterrupted harmony. God, indestructible Spirit, is the only real substance, and He has absolute control of His universe. Mary Baker Eddy states in Science and Health, "God creates neither erring thought, mortal life, mutable truth, nor variable love." Science and Health, p. 503. Man, then, as the expression of God, is perpetually reflecting God's unchanging, indestructible, perfect goodness. Man lives, moves, and has his being in the realm of God's goodness.See Acts 17:28.
The practitioner then talked about the significance of these words of Jesus' to the centurion, who had an unwavering trust in the Master's ability to heal his severely ill servant: "Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee." Matt. 8:13. This indicated that what I believed—that is, what I accepted into my consciousness as true—is what I would experience, not because it was necessarily true, but because I believed it was true. If I was believing that there is a source of good available to us called "lady luck" or "chance" and that this source vacillates, sometimes smiling upon us and sometimes not, then I would experience variable good in my life. If I was flirting with "good luck," then at the same time I would be giving my mental consent to "bad luck." If I was believing in chance or luck in one aspect of my life, I would be opening up the door to random occurrences, including evil, in other areas of my life. Why would I choose to do that?
