There may be times in one's human experience when self-criticism is not only warranted but even desirable. Perhaps some important work has been left out of a busy schedule or, if taken care of, could have been done better. When one meets such a situation with a firm resolve to be more alert in the future, one's mental attitude reflects constructive and progressive thinking.
If, however, the self-criticism takes the form of self-condemnation and a sense of guilt arises, this is undesirable. Self-condemnation is often a forerunner of self-pity. Being sorry for oneself may cause one to lose sight of the true selfhood he should always be claiming, namely the perfect man of God's creating, the man who possesses, through divine heritage, wisdom and intelligence.
The Bible informs us that God is the only power, the only creator. It sets forth incontrovertibly that God made man in His own image and likeness. The last verse of the first chapter of Genesis reads, "God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."
This is definite authority for believing that man, God's image, also beholds a perfect creation and perfect man. It is this divine concept of perfect man that we should maintain in every thought, both of ourselves and of others. The persistency with which we hold to and use this sacred truth determines our advancing steps in the knowledge, understanding, and practice of Christian Science.
As the student of Christian Science acknowledges and claims his spiritual perfectness as the son of God, any deficiency in a normal and right undertaking or any fault in character will be seen and corrected.
Mary Baker Eddy declares (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 6), "Divine Love corrects and governs man." But she adds: "God is not separate from the wisdom He bestows. The talents He gives we must improve." These words from our Leader point up our duty to use and improve God's gifts, which are perfect, flawless, and within our ability to use.
No fault can be found in the talents God bestows, and we should know that there can be no accompanying incompetence in our performance of the work required of us. Orderly obedience in following the dictates of divine Mind never fails to bring divine control and to establish man's dominion over all things in accordance with divine law. Therefore it is always wise to examine closely the trend of our thinking in any given situation and to make sure that it never induces any acceptance of subtle suggestions or accusations of incompetency or deficiency.
In the allegory on pages 430-442 of Science and Health, Mortal Man is accused of committing liver complaint, and the sentence of death is pronounced upon him. Then Christian Science appears as Mortal Man's counsel and emphatically denies all accusations presented by the prosecution. He reads from the Bible certain extracts pertaining to man, among them being this definitive statement (Gen. 1:26):"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion." Later there follows the Chief Justice's charge to the jury, which returns a verdict of "Not guilty," and the prisoner is released.
This allegory is illustrative of the accusations so often confronting us in daily human experience. But no matter what the indictment may be, whether of sickness, pain, lack, inharmony, or inability to use and develop the talents God has given us, the indictment will fail when Christian Science is employed to defend us.
There are thousands of people who, through the understanding and application of this Science as set forth in the writings of Mrs. Eddy, are daily being freed from error's false, accusations. She says (Science and Health, p. 15), "Practice not profession, understanding not belief, gain the ear and right hand of omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings."
A casual interest in Christian Science is insufficient to aid one in reaching the divine heights of understanding where man's perfectness as a son of God is established in one's consciousness and is demonstrated in one's daily experience. Consecrated study of the Bible and of Science and Health is essential if one would acquire the understanding leading to health and peace and success as a demonstrator of Life, Truth, and Love.
Let there be no room in consciousness for false concepts of any kind, particularly false charges against the man of God's creating. Let us always strive to follow in every human experience the teachings of Christ Jesus. He said (Matt. 7:1, 2): "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." The master Christian taught the reality of God, good, and the consequent unreality of evil and disease. It is this teaching that should always be uppermost in all that we think and say and do.
Some years ago, while I was having a business conference in my office with a prominent physician, he expressed the opinion that I should enter a hospital immediately for the surgical removal of what he declared to be a skin cancer. He elaborated on the danger that neglect might bring. I did my best to avoid discussing the condition which I had long regarded as innocuous, but each time that we met in the days that followed, the doctor gave me a vigorous lecture on the terrors of the disease. At no time was I troubled about the diagnosis, but I was continually obliged to guard my thinking to keep from being annoyed and resentful.
Finally I told the doctor that I appreciated his friendship but that as a Christian Scientist I did not believe in what he had been declaring. The subject was immediately dropped, and after that, little by little, the spot faded until there was an end to the condition. By my adherence to the teachings of Christian Science, not only had I been proved guiltless of the charge of disease; I had the satisfaction of not being guilty of resentful thinking.
Regardless of what an individual may be charged with, be it disease, lack, deficiency, or any other inharmonious condition, the false charge should be strongly protested in the name of Truth; for there is nothing real or actual but perfect God and His reflection, perfect man. When this fact is understood and contended for and erroneous accusations are rejected in accordance with the teachings of Christian Science, then will the courtroom of divine justice ring with the verdict, "Not guilty."
In the allegory mentioned above, the Chief Justice, speaking of the tribunal of divine Spirit, says (p. 442): "There, Man is adjudged innocent of transgressing physical laws, because there are no such laws. Our statute is spiritual, our Government is divine."
Let us, therefore, accept the conclusion that we should always be aware that God, the divine Principle governing man, has established and always maintains the holy perfection of His creation, in which there is no guilt. We should always be confident that man, in Science, is eternally free and innocent—never guilty—before the tribunal of divine Spirit.
