Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Christ Jesus’ parable of the sower shows the importance of cultivating thought to prepare it for the spiritual understanding that brings forth fruit. What is the “good ground” that allows us to hear and understand God’s Word and put it into practice? It is an attitude of humble receptivity, sometimes born of deep discontent with the emptiness of materiality.
The parable of the sower is an apt illustration of my journey in understanding and practicing Christian Science. Four years ago, I was one that “received seed by the way side.” I had gone sporadically to many different churches, so I knew of God and Jesus, but my thoughts rested on a material foundation. I never even thought of spiritual solutions; I lived and reacted to the chaos of annoyances and hardships in very human ways. I would imagine just driving away, leaving everything behind. After work, I would have a few glasses of wine to escape the daily burdens, and I did not think there was anything wrong with reacting this way, since that is what my friends and coworkers often did. However, it just didn’t help to fill the void I was feeling.
During this time, I had surgery on my knee because of an accident. To help with pain, I was prescribed opioids, which I took while recouping. However, I continued to take them long after my knee had mended. I even began stealing opioids from family members when I ran out of my own. It was not the right thing to do, and certainly not a satisfying answer to the emptiness I felt, so I knew it couldn’t continue. Something had to change. I had two children to think about. Up until this point, I hid all of these behaviors, but I knew that if I kept them up, there would come a point where everything would unravel.
Then one day, the thought of my grandmother came to me. She was such a beautiful person and had such a loving impact on me. She was a lifelong Christian Scientist. I thought about how she let her daily living be a demonstration of her faith. Thinking about her joy and grace, I wondered if Christian Science might hold the answers I was searching for.
I decided to start attending a local branch Church of Christ, Scientist, and I found I enjoyed it very much! I also enjoyed reading the weekly Bible Lessons from the Christian Science Quarterly and learning key concepts of Christian Science. However, there was such a gap in my understanding. At this point, it was as if my thought was in the “stony places” and “among the thorns.” When challenges arose, I didn’t have the depth of understanding needed to work through them. I was very hopeful that Christian Science was what I needed, but I knew that for me to really understand and demonstrate the concepts I was learning, Christian Science Primary class instruction would be essential. I emailed a teacher near me and asked to be in her next class.
I was filled with a bursting joy and happiness. I craved to learn more and more about Christian Science.
Primary class was profound—literally life-changing. Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “The design of Love is to reform the sinner” (p. 35). Spiritual truths discussed in class corrected misconceptions I had and helped me get a clearer understanding of God and my relation to Him. My teacher was so loving and patient as she offered instruction and support. It was the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me. Class instruction moved my thought from a material to a spiritual foundation. I became firmly planted in the “good ground.”
After class, I vigorously began studying the Bible and Science and Health from this new perspective. I also began attending the Wednesday night testimony meetings at church, where I could hear individuals’ practical applications of the truth I was learning.
Effects of this study began to shine in my life. No longer did it seem like a barren existence. Relationships at work drastically improved. I was happy to complete the daily tasks that had overwhelmed me in the past. I was filled with a bursting joy and happiness most of the time, and I craved to learn more and more about Christian Science.
About a year later, I sat contemplating my life. I felt I was in the midst of a complete transformation. In Webster’s 1828 dictionary, one definition of transformation is “a change of heart in man, by which his disposition and temper are conformed to the divine image; a change from enmity to holiness and love.” That was exactly what had been happening to me. No longer did I drink alcohol after work, nor did I take prescription medications. The sense of emptiness I had been trying to fill was gone. All of that had disappeared without my even realizing it. It just fell away, because it was never a part of my true spiritual identity as a child of God. Instead, I was filled with the recognition of the truth of these words on page 264 of Science and Health: “When we realize that Life is Spirit, never in nor of matter, this understanding will expand into self-completeness, finding all in God, good, and needing no other consciousness.”
I am profoundly grateful for Christian Science class instruction, which has set my thought on a spiritual foundation, the “good ground” where the seeds of divine Science “beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold.”
