Consecration to Truth is a state of consciousness indispensable to a Christian Scientist. Jesus made it very plain that we should "become as little children." Matt. 18:3. He also said that we should be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matt. 10:16. Childlikeness implies a sense of purity and simplicity, rather than the complexity of an adult thought. One of the most difficult things that anyone can ask of himself is to be simple, to express qualities similar to those of the child. Perhaps nothing is more difficult to demonstrate than Jesus' words, "I can of mine own self do nothing." John 5:30 Nothing is more necessary for the growth of the Christian Science movement, not only today but for all time, than that Christian Scientists ponder and follow Jesus' consecrated example, in order that the "greater works," See John 14:12. which he prophesied, may be accomplished. It seems reasonable to interpret the Master's expectancy for "greater works" as calling for the betterment of every human activity, as well as for the healing of the sick; and it must naturally follow that through fervent prayer to find the actual reality of all things, every detail of one's life must be improved and spiritualized. Under the subheading "Practical Science" in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mrs. Eddy says: "The term Science, properly understood, refers only to the laws of God and to His government of the universe, inclusive of man. From this it follows that business men and cultured scholars have found that Christian Science enhances their endurance and mental powers, enlarges their perception of character, gives them acuteness and comprehensiveness and an ability to exceed their ordinary capacity." And she adds: "A knowledge of the Science of being develops the latent abilities and possibilities of man. It extends the atmosphere of thought, giving mortals access to broader and higher realms. It raises the thinker into his native air of insight and perspicacity." Science and Health, p. 128.
Accepting, as we all should, the need of betterment in our individual activities, whatever these may be, but realizing that a large proportion of us will be called upon to continue these activities for a prolonged period, and admitting the fact that it would be unwise and uncalled for if everyone left his present line of work and went into the public practice of Christian Science, nevertheless Christian Scientists realize the importance of healing the sick in the manner which Jesus commanded.
Often we are prone to excuse ourselves from undertaking, even in some minor way, the healing work; we seem quite willing to leave it to others. It is not uncommon to find those who generalize upon this subject to the extent that it takes very little reasoning to come to the conclusion that in their thought they have failed to see the importance of the healing of physical difficulties, or that they have minimized this healing to an alarming extent, and have substituted therefore in their concept, that a betterment of affairs in general is all that is necessary. Although this desire for growth in grace is fundamentally essential, it should not tempt us into overlooking a crying need of humanity. If Mrs. Eddy had not been healed of a physical difficulty which threatened her life, we might not have had Christian Science.
