AN INSPIRED WRITER SAID, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" (see Prov. 23:7). Some strains of New Age thought teach that we can, through human will or projected thoughts, gain whatever we want. At a quick glance, there might appear to be no difference between these two lines of reasoning. But a close examination from the standpoint of Christian Science reveals a world of difference. And the difference between these two ideas matters a great deal.
In the passage from Proverbs, the Biblical writer had earlier been cautioning his readers not to labor for material riches and to cease from trusting in their own wisdom (see Prov. 23:4). He was also cautioning his listeners to be careful about what they set their eyes upon. We can ask ourselves the same question: Are we focusing on God, divine Spirit, or on material things? And what is our motive? Is it, in part, to grow in grace and become a better person in order to help mankind, or is it just to become more comfortable? More simply, are we putting God or material things first?
Jesus' words, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33), alert us to the importance of putting God first. I've been asking myself if I'm putting God first and depending upon the divine Mind and surrendering to God's will, or am I depending on the human mind or thought systems, and therefore on human will? That's the line of demarcation. The Bible says, "No man can serve two masters" (Matt. 6:24). To me this means we can't listen to both human will and God's will; we have to listen to one or the other. About five years ago, I had the opportunity to put into practice these points in divine metaphysics.
