Self-Esteem has two meanings: self-respect and self-conceit. The first is laudable, the second something to rise above as worthless. Christian Science provides good reason for true self-esteem by revealing a selfhood that is worthy of respect. This selfhood is God's likeness, the real man, and as such is spiritual and constant in obedience to its Maker and governor. The true self is conscious only of good, is unsullied by sin, and is incapable of anything weak or mean. Spiritual perfection is its law. Being God's own expression, His offspring, the true self embodies the qualities of divinity—love, purity, health, joy, truthfulness, intelligence, and every other estimable element of thought.
To identify oneself as this man and then to live up to that identification by right behavior is fundamental to the practice of Christian Science. One cannot heal himself of mortal errors while believing that they actually belong to him. A greatly loved and often quoted passage from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, a passage dealing with correct identification, is found on page 242 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany." It reads, "You can never demonstrate spirituality until you declare yourself to be immortal and understand that you are so." And later in the same paragraph are these words: "Unless you fully perceive that you are the child of God, hence perfect, you have no Principle to demonstrate and no rule for its demonstration."
Regardless of such scientific precepts, one is sometimes tempted to identify himself as a sick, discouraged, sinful, or stupid mortal. This is what happens when we allow morbid and joyless moods to possess us; when we permit irritation and fear to fill consciousness; when we let negative beliefs that contradict the truths of Christian Science slip into thought; when we suffer prejudiced, personal motives to bias our acts. Such states of mind cancel out true identification and prevent the demonstration of reality that rests upon scientific self-esteem.
Sometimes we come across those who feel it presumptuous to identify themselves as spiritual, even though the Scriptures plainly teach that man is God's image and set forth the example of Christ Jesus, who demonstrated this fact fully. These individuals refuse the self-esteem the Bible proffers. They are still influenced by false theological beliefs, which impede the demonstration of spiritual freedom by contending that man is a mortal, capable of sin and sickness. And they find it difficult to come within the radius of God's blessings.
These forlorn ones need to rise in determined protest against false theology and grasp the truths of real manhood as Christian Science reveals them. This means consistently viewing the mortal self and its errors as outside of being, as aggressive suggestions, and never as realities. But it never implies that the physical personality and evil thoughts which seem to be one's own can be ignored. Christian Science demands the healing of every fault in order that God's ideal can be brought to light. And it unfolds the redemptive steps of moral and spiritual obedience that make the demonstration of perfect manhood possible.
True self-esteem requires finely balanced thinking: the acknowledgment of absolute perfection, and the proof of all that is acknowledged. It is when one has learned something of man's revealed perfection that he is able to detect the sly errors of self-righteousness, self-interest, self-indulgence, and self-justification that would enter thought and to forbid them admittance. The higher and purer one's standard of self becomes, the more unbearable are the evil thoughts that would desecrate that standard, and the more quickly is one saved from the sequences of sin. Mrs. Eddy says (ibid., p. 161), "He who gains self-knowledge, self-control, and the kingdom of heaven within himself, within his own consciousness, is saved through Christ, Truth."
As long as the human state of being seems to persist, self-knowledge will be of two kinds—the knowledge of the real man that increases with spiritual unfoldment, and the wholesome recognition of the mortal errors claiming identity that leads to needed repentance and the resistance of error.
An important sign of scientific self-knowledge and self-esteem is the willingness to respect one's demonstration of Christian Science and to give credit to God for any good one accomplishes. Self-conceit would claim personal credit for accomplishments, but the prayer of Christ Jesus includes the meek declaration (Matt. 6:13), "Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever," a declaration that forbids self-conceit.
The Master rated his accomplishments highly because he knew that it was his heavenly Father who impelled them and carried them to full fruition. He said (John 5:30), "I can of mine own self do nothing." And Paul, who was faithful in meekness, said (Phil. 4:13), "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Neither of these great figures had self-conceit. Both had self-respect. They understood that man is God's perfect son, and they ordered their lives in conformity with their convictions.
Meekness is our greatest need in bringing out self-esteem of the right sort. It is meekness that enables us to face the illusions that heredity and education have claimed to place upon us and then to work out the problems of human life from the basis of man's eternal perfection. The more clearly one perceives himself as actually God's expression, replete with love and intelligence, purity and health and wisdom, the more scientific his self-respect will be. And because his self-esteem is based upon the revelations of divine Science, he will work the more diligently to help others gain true self-esteem. He will not indulge personal condemnation, but will hold to the reality of manhood and contribute to the destruction of the indignities that would defame the human race, claiming to prevent spiritual manhood from being revealed.
Let us practice true self-esteem and aid in restoring it to all men so that they may be invested with spiritual dignity as they progress in the demonstration of their perfection as in reality God's beloved sons.
