Monday, May 25, 2009

An Influence for Good

If you're like me, the thought has probably crossed your mind more than once, am I doing enough given mankind's urgent needs? When we consider the grandeur of our work for Christ and Christian Science, and we have a modest sense of our ability at this stage of things to connect with divine power, how can one not feel this way at times? But the desire to make a meaningful difference in this world of ours is inspired by God. And it does have His resources behind it.

Something that has helped me, besides all the healings I have experienced through my understanding of the teachings of Christian Science is this: so many limitations of the mortal sense of things have been put off. As I've gained a greater realization of my true selfhood as God's own image and likeness, restricting hereditary beliefs, environmental influences, and opinions of others have faded away. For this I can't be thankful enough. And this wonderful passage from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy is worth giving here for anyone out there in cyberspace who yearns to serve humanity in a more effective way. Grasping our spiritual individuality as the likeness of our Maker will always expand our mental horizons. And this makes us more useful in the human realm.

"This scientific sense of being, forsaking matter for Spirit, by no means suggests man's absorption into Deity and the loss of his identity, but confers upon man enlarged individuality, a wider sphere of thought and action, a more expansive love, a higher and more permanent peace." (Page 265)

When it comes to being a blessing in the lives of others, you and I may never know the people we have helped/are helping. But this shouldn't hold us back from doing all we can find to do. Any expression of compassion--backed up by action--can literally save a life, turn a person right around, help place his feet in that path that leads to eternal good. Divine Love, lived by you and me, can do all that. And more. To save even one life is a holy thing, is it not?

Jesus' observation that "the harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few" followed by the command to "pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest" (Luke 10) gives me incentive to keep at it. Humanity's challenges so great, proclaiming the power of God such a heavenly adventure, and the reward so absolutely certain, why wait another moment to pray better, do more?