The Wayfarer in Divine Science

Jesus saw the need of the multitude, and yet he did not allow himself to feel rushed. That process of becoming “set” was one of prayer and an absolute faith that God would give Jesus the right words at the right time, as well as the right way to speak those words. Jesus did not place priority on the thousands waiting for him, but rather he knew his Father would meet every need that day — both his and theirs.

Those who feel they are already special in God's sight, or feel their religious associations make them “more” than others, are actively cursing themselves and shutting down inner connection to the kingdom of heaven that is within. The person who prides himself on what he has learned, or with whom he keeps company, are like modern-day Pharisees who fail to see the Christ active in what they perceive as unworthy. Meanwhile, those weak and simple individuals who know they must look to Truth, Life, and Love for every good thing are in fact on the right track.

It is only in our great need that we seemingly stop looking to human aid and begin to plead with God for understanding, abundance, and support — and God will not fail to aid us in those dark hours. Once comforted, we find that what we truly need is to look for God's help in every portion of our existence, because when we do that, we find ourselves perpetually in His light.

Meekness is the willingness to seek God in every hour. Our Father is always speaking to us, and with our spiritual sense we can discern all we need so that we might see through the worldliness of the human experience into the beauty and abundance of the earth that God made for us.

There is an emptiness which comes from living a godless life that leads us to over-consume everything human life has to offer, and in the end we are still left empty and alone. But the moment we turn to God, we begin to be filled with the right thinking of the Christ, and we find our place and purpose in this world.

The human way of living becomes like a knife that we use to stab out at the world, creating divisions and betraying others to carve out our own human destiny. Existence becomes small, and we feel defensive at all times, because we know we would take from others if we could, so that means that they want to take from us. The human mind is a murderer, after all.

Living according to the Christ, however, is like a knife that we use to cut toward ourselves. We carve out our own selfish desires to leave room for what God would have us do, and slice away false beliefs so that we can think the true thoughts of the Christ, and cut out any hatred, jealousy, or ungodly feeling so that we may reflect the Love that is God to everyone.

When we get ourselves in this place where the Mind that is God does our thinking, and the Love that is God does our loving, then we become God's instrument to bless and heal this world. Seeing what God does is seeing what God is, because God is Spirit, and God is all real action.

Do not be fooled into thinking this means “blessed are the trucemakers” because there can be no truce between the carnal mind and the Mind that is God. If we are to truly “make peace” it must never be “Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:14) Christ Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) This peace must be the peace we have within from truly living Christ's Christianity; it must be a sign that “the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21)

The “rich in spirit” will take issue with those who have the kingdom of heaven within, claiming it is false doctrine; those who mourn and yet still turn to human aid will hate you for finding comfort in God, but will not follow no matter how much proof you present; all who live according to their own understanding will despise your ability to find joy and beauty in God's goodness; the emptiness of those seeking only material means and human comforts will look down on how you seek God alone, and call you a sheep or worse; those without compassion will see your mercy as weakness, and will attempt to scam you; “The fool [that] hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1) will confuse your purity as simplemindedness and naivety, and seek to discredit you; and those who humanly thrive on there being no peace in this world will see your desire for the true and lasting peace of God as an existential threat against their way of life, and will take both legal and illegal action as they are able. This is all that those in the human mind can do, and we must not hate them for it, but love them all the more. Beneath the filthy malice and ignorance is the child of God waiting to be freed; do not bury them deeper by hating them, but rather “preach deliverance to the captives” and “set at liberty them that are bruised.” (Luke 4:18)

Knowing now that this is what it means to follow Christ and to take up your cross, can there be any doubt that meakness does not equal weakness? Could they, in their current state, have the strength to return good for evil and love for hate? Only the Christ gives us such strength!

Salt is salt throughout, which means the entirety of salt has the qualitites of salt. Even so must we be Christly throughout, lest the veneer be ground away to reveal a sinful mortal beneath.

As our thought ascends heavenward, we are lifted into a position that allows God to work through us to meet the need around us. There is no skirting this responsibility. We cannot learn to reflect God's light and also remain in the shadows. From a human point of view it would appear we are placed in harm's way for following Christ, but the entire point of gaining the understanding of Truth and Love is to expose and denounce evil behaviors and love the child of God. The unruly child often does not thank the loving parent until much later for all done to help that child see past their mistaken sense and poor behavior. Sometimes we must, as Christ Jesus before us, “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” (Matthew 3 : 15)

The divinely-inspired Word of God from thousands of years ago and what God has us do today will always be in agreement with each other because the nature of Truth, Life, and Love are unchangeable because “Duty never points in two directions.” (Collectanea, p. 128) It absolutely will appears different to those following dogma rather than the Christ, because right thinking and acting are perpetually different from wrong thinking and human action. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” (II Corinthians 3 : 5-7)

As stated before, we use that knife of Christ's Christianity to cut toward ourselves, to rid our own consciousness of all that is ungodly. We do not use it to create divisions between people, only to excise false beliefs. In Truth, all are one in Christ; it is only in false belief that there appears to be any separation between ourselves and God, or between our fellow being and ourselves. “For in him we live, and move, and have our being.” (Acts 17 : 28)

If a corrupt individual, organization, or government asks you to speak the truth, but your honesty comes across as objectionable to them — or perhaps even criminal — can you truly say that you have done right by God in allowing the schemes of any corrupt individual, organization, or government to take you away from your greater mission? Say there is an equation that someone is working out erroneously, either by malicious intent or ignorant belief, and they ask you to complete a small section; does it matter at all if your portion is technically correct if the whole thing was designed by them to be wrong? Your truth, in that instance, becomes a pearl before swine. Does bearing false witness to a thought weaponized with false beliefs and false witness truly break a commandment to God, Truth, who is both without false belief and the enemy of it? Christ Jesus warned us “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16) Do not willingly allow yourselves to slip your neck into the noose. Watch!

However, if speaking the truth leads to an event that brings about systemic change, then it comes much closer to the sacrifice that Jesus went through. Only careful listening to that “still small voice” (I Kings 19:12) of divine Mind will let you know how to proceed.

We must understand that we are not material beings living in a material world, but rather spiritual and mental beings living in Spirit, Mind, God. Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “Your influence for good depends upon the weight you throw into the right scale.” (S&H, p. 192) She also warns, however, that error “comes to you for life and you give it the only life it has — in belief.” (Divinity Course and General Collectanea, p. 215) Turn that sharp edge of Truth upon yourself until you find that unsullied child of God within.

We are responsible for the promises we make and what happens to the people we make them to. There is no getting around our individual accountability to the Christ for our every thought and action. If we, through a failed promise or by some other means, lead another of God's children into sin, shall we truly think ourselves absolved because we sought the aid of human legal intervention? Surely not!

As followers of Christ, we are not attempting to make our life free of needless drama. However, as we gain that understanding of God and our true self that the Christ imparts, we may well find ourselves the world's enemy in an instant. As such, we are to be modeling Christian behavior in a way that is fully cognizant that our actions reflect on all of Christ's Christianity as a whole. Remember that “Jesus answered [Pilate], My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” (John 18 : 36) and also that Paul wrote, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (II Corinthians 10 : 3-5) The more we use the tools of the human mind, the more we tell those we meet that those tools are worth using, and the less we can be said to be true followers of Christ. Conversely, the less you rely upon the world's tools, the more people will notice that “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10) and how they interact with you will depend on how gripped by the human mind they are. This is the cup you must drink to follow the Christ. (See John 18 : 11)

It is now time for you to realize that everyone, everywhere, is just as worthy of God's love and truth as you are. There are no “acceptable losses”. There is no option for you to sit back and accept that “some people go to Hell” or “God hates [this type or that type] of person” or that “I am fully justified being evil to someone my denomination says is filled with sin.” The Pharisees, themselves, believed these things of him, but Christ Jesus rebuked those thoughts which say, “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are” by saying that “every one that exalteth himself shall be abased.” (Luke 18 : 11, 14) Our entire duty is to be what God created us to be when He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1 : 26) Can Truth and Love create a likeness that does not reflect Truth and Love? Does that not mean we must both learn to reflect Truth and Love ourselves and show others as God directs how they are divinely destined to reflect Truth and Love themselves? Not one child of God will be left behind, and if you think otherwise you are no child of God. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

While working to meet the needs of mankind, let neither your practical, human aid, nor your quiet, spiritual work, be done for anything but the glory of God. To do otherwise is to break the First Commandment “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20 : 3) because you are making a god out of human acclaim, and you will be more tempted in the future to make a show of giving or praying to acquire yet more of that human acclaim, and thus find yourself wasting God's time and abundance — at least as far as you have been thus far entrusted it. Much rather you “stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God” (Job 37 : 14) than find yourself wasting His substance with falsely-pious living, to paraphrase Christ Jesus word's in Luke 15 : 13.

When I think of Christ Jesus saying “Our Father which art in heaven” here, and his telling Mary Magdalene after his resurrection to “go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20 : 17) I cannot understand the all-to-popular false belief that the man Jesus is himself God. It takes away from Jesus' mission and his sacrifice and his love for mankind to malign him in such a way, and in effect makes it so that, even though he was lifted up, we fail to realize it was supposed to “draw all men unto” (John 12:32) the Christ, because the malicious lie that claims “Jesus is God” seeks to destroy the desired effect of Jesus hard-won and dear-bought promise.

This prayer, taken correctly, is a humble and practical prayer given by one who is not only our wayshower and master, but also one who is our fellow child of God. His successful mission is the greatest sign and wonder he ever showed mankind, because it is a sign that we can all follow him and complete our own mission successfully. But we need to see it! “Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not?” (Mark 8 : 18)

In essence, his prayer is saying, our Father-Mother God who has made us all to have an eternal place and purpose in Your creation, we are so grateful that Your abundant Truth and Love is forever being given freely to us to use as You direct, without any need for us to ask, but only to attentively listen and joyously obey in the manner which Jesus already proved, because we are — to the degree we follow the Christ, as exemplified by you, Jesus, — the expressions and manifestations of God's every right and pure quality. Let this be so now!

If you imagine yourself the lawmaker and gatekeeper, you have already conversed with the serpent and imagined that “ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3 : 5) Shall the only Lawmaker and Gatekeeper forgive this? Now is the time to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4 : 23-30)

If our treasure is in material things, then we will be saddened to go without these things that our heart desires. Therefore, our spiritual life will be in some portion a life of sadness because we are not being honest with either ourselves or others or with God. Much rather we let go of both human acclaim and human reward, or at least be honest with what stage of growth we are at, since to do otherwise risks bearing “false witness.” (Exodus 20 : 16)

The joy we feel when whole-heartedly living our life for God can be seen and felt. Likewise, if “thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:16) Either way, you aren't fooling anyone — except yourself, perhaps. Again, as Mary Baker Eddy wrote: “Duty never points in two directions.” (Divinity Course and General Collectanea, p. 215)

“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4 : 7) The worldly beliefs will barrage you constantly, from every angle, and for every topic, and the only sure way to shut it down is to “seek ye first the kingdom of God” and “keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them.” (My., p. 210) Know that “your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all [right] things” and Truth and Love are even now imparting all good to you in abundance. “Trust in Truth, and have no other trusts.” (My., p. 171)

It is written in I Samuel 16 : 7 that “the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” Should we judge ourselves and others on anything less? To judge according to matter would be to break the Second Commandment “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” (Exodus 20 : 4) Let us not judge, but offer help and support to those who will accept, and leave the others to “God's disposal of events” (My., p. 281) by saying “Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, ... for we be brethren.” (Genesis 13:8)

For those so immersed and dependent in the Adam-dream, and perhaps even having pride in it, any thought presented to them which threatens to take away their dream's power will be met with all the force they can muster. As Mrs. Eddy once told a student, sometime we must tiptoe by such a thought. She also says, “Meekness and temperance are the jewels of Love, set in wisdom. Restrain untempered zeal.” (Ret., p. 79) That unrestrained zeal will much damage in the wrong instance. Better to trust God's wisdom to lead everyone to Truth in His own good time.

God is not only ready to lead you, but is right now and has always been sending you all the inspiration needed to live and act rightly. We are only told to ask, seek, and knock because we seemingly have forgotten the truth of our reality: We only exist to be His expressions, and as such He knows just what you need to be well-employed in your vocation of being a blessing in all circumstances.

It is so easy to end up having lived a useless life filled with regret. There is only one way, however, to live a life that is useful to God and a blessing to mankind, and this is by following the the Christ up the path to God, good.

Is there any other term more apt than “ravening wolves” for those who wrested control of those early independent followers of Christ Jesus and gave it instead to the so-called “Holy Roman Empire” — that group which combined the hypocrisy and aesthetics of the Pharisees with the war-mongering and desire to rule of the Romans? Imagine that: The two groups which conspired to kill Jesus going on to become the supposed face of Christ's Christianity! And then, after centuries, most other denominations which rose up were really just other organizations that craved the human power and were willing to fight humanly to get it. The world most certainly knows “them by their fruits” and this is why people around the world feel they hate Christians.

But, even though a wolf may pretend to be a sheep, it cannot stop being a wolf because it loves being a wolf. Their fruit will always be corrupt, but mankind should learn to collectively see that these ravening wolves are really just politicians, tyrants, criminals, opportunists, and abusers in Christian's clothing. It is true that “by their fruits ye shall know them” and know them we do. Let us hew these evil trees down and cast them in the fire so that none may be led astray again.

Let us strive to build on the rock of the Christ only!