"BE YE KIND"

Many centuries ago there was a man who had suffered many persecutions, many hardships, many vicissitudes, much unkind treatment. However, he did not allow these things to embitter him or cast him down, but used them as opportunities to lift him higher, to attain more of gracious magnanimity and true nobility. Out of the depths of his rich experience this man, the Apostle Paul, gave this holy admonition to his immediate followers and to the followers of good in all time to come (Eph. 4:32): "Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Here we have not only the injunction to be kind, but the basis of kindness, the method of its demonstration and fulfillment in our lives. One meaning of the adjective "kind" is "disposed to do good," and the primary meaning of the noun is "natural quality, character, state, or form of anything." The Bible tells us that "God is love" (I John 4:8); that He is the only creator; that He supports and maintains all that is good and true. And Christian Science likewise reveals the fact that God's creation is like Himself— lovely, perfect, right, and true. There is nothing unlovely, unrighteous, or wrong in that which He brings forth and sustains. This being true, it follows that the "natural quality, character, state" of reality is lovely, harmonious, healthy, holy, and good.

Christian Science, the Science of Christianity, accepts these great Scriptural facts unreservedly and demonstrates them. It proves that therein is the natural, rightful, and God-ordained order of being. The aim of the Christian Scientist is to think and act in accordance with these eternal verities, to "judge righteous judgment," to adhere to that which is true and not be deceived by false appearances, to cling to divine facts, to eschew all that is evil and wrong. Christian Science teaches us the nature of divine Love, the Principle of kindness, its unerring rule, and how it can be unfailingly proved and manifested in our human experience. In the degree that we understand this Principle, it can be scientifically demonstrated that there is a divine law which underlies its perfect expression.

The purpose of all true Science is to acquaint us with that which actually is. It enables us to perceive and become aware of that which is veritable and factual—that which has real entity and existence. One who understands a principle can utilize his knowledge in practical demonstration. That which is true is always usable, provable, and can be confirmed by actual works. The great truths of Christian Science can be verified in the experience of anyone who conforms to its scientific precepts and lives in accordance with its teachings. This is what constitutes its utility, its practicality, its supreme value to its faithful adherents.

In the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy says (p. 111), "The Principle of divine metaphysics is God; the practice of divine metaphysics is the utilization of the power of Truth over error; its rules demonstrate its Science." To practice divine metaphysics, to demonstrate the truth of being, we must make practical its verities and utilize its rich treasures.

Recently there was an account in the press of a substantial sum which for many years lay unclaimed in a bank. Finally the rightful owner was located, and when he had proved his proper identity, the money was turned over to him. It had actually been his all the time; he had only to prove his title to it. God is infinite Love, and His man—His image and likeness—is a Love-like man. His creation is a lovely creation, showing forth the glory and grandeur of Love. It is our prerogative to utilize and appropriate these sublime actualities, these unchanging facts. As they are uppermost in consciousness, we look through the lens of Love: we see God's man; we envision Love's creation; we behold Truth's phenomena—the beautiful, the healthy, the glorious, and the fair. As the money was in the bank only awaiting its rightful owner, so the infinitude of good is ours to lay hold upon and to claim as our very own.

To look at the universe through this lens of Love is to cleave to the unchanging facts about God, man, and creation—to express kindness in its highest and truest sense. Grace has been defined as "the activity of love." and surely we can manifest graciousness and loving-kindness in no better way than by seeing reality in all its loveliness and exquisite beauty. How quickly this would rule out those archenemies of human happiness: unkind criticism, needless censure, unjust judgment, faultfinding, gossip, and bitter condemnation. There is nothing in God's universe to condemn, nothing faulty or wrong. It is most unkind, useless, and utterly wrong to admit into one's consciousness false and perverted views of that which God has created. These distorted pictures must be replaced at some time with right ideas. Why not do the kind thing, the helpful thing, the scientific thing now, and not take evil in? In furnishing our homes we do not hang up a lot of ugly pictures, which we know we must eventually take down. We choose beautiful ones, lovely ones, and thus spare ourselves the time and expense of replacing the ugly ones.

The aim of Christian Science is to heal and harmonize every condition or situation that is wrong. Nothing can accomplish this but spiritual understanding, which is the basis of all true kindness.

In our human experience it often seems necessary to deal with wrong conditions. The way of wisdom is to bring out the highest and best in the kindest way possible, to nothingize the ungoodly and erroneous, to magnify the positive good and nullify the negative evil. Kindness brings to light the good and relegates to oblivion the evil and wrong. How grandly our Leader points out the unity of kindness and love that heals and blesses, in that memorable passage in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 312): "Love is consistent, uniform, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, unutterably kind; even that which lays all upon the altar, and, speechless and alone, bears all burdens, suffers all inflictions, endures all piercing for the sake of others, and for the kingdom of heaven's sake." Those who knew our Leader personally bear unfailing witness to the fact that she practiced this in the very highest degree. What a glorious fruitage of peace and harmony is ours as we follow this holy path of unfailing kindness!

At the foot of the stairs in a certain house was a motto which read, "Men are great only as they are kind." As each member of the household retired for the night, he read this motto. What a fitting close that would be for every day! Surely that day has been well spent in which we have embraced every opportunity to do the kind thing, the loving thing, the gracious thing, the healing thing. And what a helpful way to start our daily journey— with the supreme desire not only to avail ourselves of every opportunity to be kind, but actually to make such opportunities.

As Christian Scientists, as worthy followers of our faithful Leader, who has taught us the way of Love, let us begin each day with the supreme desire to do kind things, to say kind things, to express unfailing kindness to everyone; and then our great Master's benediction will rest upon us (Luke 6:35): "Your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil."