In the second book of Kings is recorded an occasion when Elisha, the prophet, and his servant found themselves in a city surrounded by the horses and chariots of the king of Syria. Elisha was undisturbed by the situation confronting him, comprehending through spiritual sense the encompassing angels of God's presence, the spiritual truths which bring deliverance in every age. Elisha's servant, however, had not yet attained that calm and steadfast trust and was terrified, crying out (II Kings 6:15), "Alas, my master! how shall we do?"
Elisha neither rebuked nor condemned this fearful thought, nor did he pray for anything to happen humanly in order that they might be delivered. Instead he reassured his servant of their safety and prayed compassionately for him, "Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see." The record says, "The Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." In the Glossary of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy the following definition of "eyes" is given (p. 586): "Spiritual discernment,—not material but mental."
God's protecting angel thoughts appeared to the servant in a form that he could comprehend. He saw them as horses and chariots—symbols of power and strength— and his human need of comfort and assurance was met. The world's great need today is for comfort and the assurance of God's ever-present love and protecting care, and this need is met in the same way now as in Elisha day. Whatever error is presented, whether it be war, lack, sickness, or sin, we should pray primarily for increased spiritual discernment, that our eyes may be opened to behold the omnipresence of good.
In the absolute sense of things there is no imperfection or lack of any kind. God is omnipotent Truth, omnipresent Spirit, omniscient Mind, self-existent, complete, infinite, All, without limit or boundary, and man is God's reflection. Man expresses the fullness, wholeness, completeness, satisfaction, and abundance which are God's. Therefore he cannot lack, and he has no needs, for God is All-in-all. This spiritual fact can be seen only by the open eyes of illumined spiritual sense.
The Apostle Paul said (I Cor. 13:12), "Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." It is in the human sense of things that we seem to see only in part, and to that human sense there appear to be human needs. Christian Science is not an abstract theory; it is demonstrable in our present sense of existence, and its specific truths or absolute spiritual facts are available to meet the human need, whatever it appears to be.
If health seems to be lacking, the great need is to discern more clearly the truth of being, the truth that man, God's perfect idea, is whole, healthy, complete, the reflection of eternal, incorporeal, and indestructible Life, the Life which is Spirit, substantial and strong, the Life which is Love, abundant and richly satisfying, the Life which is Principle, basic, undeviating perfection. This absolute spiritual truth, entertained in consciousness, will dispel the mortal illusion of sickness and, to the human sense of things, will result in improved bodily health.
When there is a seeming lack of supply, it is not primarily money that is needed, but the spiritual consciousness which beholds with open eyes the allness and oneness of God and the consequent spiritual fact that man, God's reflection, being complete, lacks nothing. In "We Knew Mary Baker Eddy," Second Series, our Leader is reported as saying (p. 49): "When you stand before a mirror and look at your reflection, it is the same as the original. Now you are God's reflection. If His hands are full, your hands are full, if you image Him. You cannot know lack. I have learned now that He does give us everything."
Man's home, his true abiding place, is heaven, harmony; and this spiritual fact, discerned, will meet the human need of home. The writer gratefully remembers her experience in seeking a home in a distant place at a time of high prices and housing shortage. Although she worked for several months in an endeavor to gain a more spiritual concept of home and also took the human steps which appeared natural and right, nothing suitable was found. Then one day she saw clearly that her real home was heaven and that she was already dwelling there. All sense of anxiety and homelessness was dispelled, and a great sense of harmony and peace flooded her consciousness, together with the conviction that the demonstration was complete. Arrangements were immediately made to have her household goods brought across the sea, and by the time they had arrived, a cottage, which has since proved well suited to her needs, was found.
A Christian Scientist who desires to gain an ever-increasing understanding of the allness of Spirit, with its manifold accompanying blessings, does well to pray that he may become more Christlike, that his eyes may be opened to perceive the spiritual perfection of man and the universe. We can aid ourselves in the cultivation of spiritual discernment by watching our own thought of the world, refusing to accept as real the pictures of old, unlovely, sick, or sinful mortals, and perceiving instead the true, perfect, spiritual individuality of our fellow men. This true seeing will also aid in the correction of faults of vision. Thinking which is focused on Truth is clear and should result in clear seeing.
Christ Jesus was always conscious of the ever-present perfection of the spiritual universe and man, and this true spiritual discernment corrected the illusory picture presented by the material senses, resulted in the healing of the sick, the lame, and the blind, and restored the dead to life. If we steadfastly persist in following the example of our Way-shower, our spiritual discernment will increase, and thus, gradually, our eyes will be opened to see the abundance of supply, of health, of harmony and beauty, which lies round about each one of us here and now.
In the words of our Leader (Science and Health, p. 264), "When we learn the way in Christian Science and recognize man's spiritual being, we shall behold and understand God's creation,—all the glories of earth and heaven and man."
