Ten years ago, my tennis coach at the time, told me that I had risen as far in tennis as I’d ever go. He was ready to stop giving me lessons. I had great respect for his opinion, and was tempted to agree with him. But I felt disheartened. I wasn’t ready to stop growing and improving, so I sought out another tennis coach who jumped in with zeal to teach me how to improve, and I did, rapidly, bumping up to the next level in short order.
The lesson was pungent. Don’t let other people’s opinions outline your life no matter how much you respect that person. Their opinion could be 100% wrong!
Only God’s perspective matters. Only what God thinks should ever be taken into consideration when deciding a path to pursue or action to take.
What the human mind sees, and expresses through opinion, is often limited by personal sense and constricted by all types of beliefs that constrict a grander and expansive view of reality. The human mind is not an accurate assessor of what is possible with God.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “In Christian Science mere opinion is valueless” Science and Health, p. 341. Take this admonition to heart! If opinion is expressing a material point of view, it is likely coming up far short from what is real and true. If a point of view is based on spiritual reality, then it is crossing over into territory that is worthy of exploration.
God thinks the best of you always. God sees only good in you. God has only good things to say about you. In His eyes, you are a most incredible, awesome, and worthy creation. His view of you is very high! In fact, it couldn’t be any higher.
I LOVE this! How wonderful is your experience, Evan, so freeing… It makes me think of the sentence in S&H, p. 258: “God expresses in man the infinite idea forever developing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis.”
Thank you!
Thanks Evan, very good advice!
A few years ago I undertook a project which pushed me out of my comfort zone but which I believed was God directed. I was saddened by criticism of my ability but after much prayer I also realised that the criticism was mere opinion, as you quoted, and as such was valueless, so I was led to carry on with the project. Just like you with your tennis I have risen to new heights and continue to enjoy my involvement in the project.
Thank you for sharing this valuable lesson Evan. Excellent!
Sometimes we think we are alone and need other opinions in regards to making decisions
or to assist to guide our direction when not sure of what to do next. Rather, turning to God and leaning on God’s perspective is all we ever need. Thank you. Evan! These blog posts are wonderful and always get thought back on track. Gratitude for the good work you do and for all the contributions within the Spiritview family! Appreciate you all!
My third grade teacher told me, Grace, you don’t have a mind for math. But you are good in reading and writing.” I accepted that opinion for more years than you can imagine and struggled through advanced math in high school, but excelled in all my other subjects. In college, when I became a Christian Scientist and began to glimpse that “mere human opinion is valueless” and that I reflect the divine Mind and am thus free to excel in math, I did!
Because I reflected divine intelligence instead of originating it, no weak areas of understanding could exist! “Rising higher and higher from a boundless basis”–(thank you, Mary Baker Eddy, page 258, Science and Health). Thank you, Evan for continually sending us a fresh gem each day!
I sit alone with God
and peace comes
to mind…
A peace that brings
rest-bit from all
my busy time…
Alone with you
is where the
answer’s are found..
Not in book
and not in rhyme…
More like peace
Profound…
When I sit alone
with you..
There is no meaning
left for time…
For all the Love
that could ever be..
Has just been found…
Awesome poem, Maximo! And wonderful inspiring thoughts, Evan and Spirit View siblings! : ) There are no limits with immeasurable Love’s expression that we all share.
Love this poem and this subject.
Thanks Maximo and Evan.
Maximo this is a beautiful poem. It brings so much peace to me when I read it, and gives me rest from some anxiety, stress, and anger I have been feeling towards the issues of, well, many things. A friend of mine just lost his brother and his Mother within a week of each other. All of us were wondering, what do you say? “Sorry, let me know if there is anything I can do….” just doesn’t seem sufficient and too much of a cliche answer. As I was quietly praying this afternoon as to what to say, your poem came to mind. May I have permission to share this beautiful poem with my friend?
Thank you so much for sharing,
Heather
Thanks to Evan and all for sharing. I always feel so supported by everyone’s contributions Much gratitude to all❤️
I look forward to your Inspirations and sharings. This reminds me of the quote:
” You have the right to your opinion as long as you are absolutely certain that you may not be correct.”
Evan,
What a great Spiritview to start off the day! Unlimited by human opinion or mortal mind’s silent arguments.
“The eternal Truth destroys what mortals seem to have learned from error, and man’s real existence as a child of God comes to light.”
SH 288:31-1
Thank you Maximo! You have unlimited creativity with your beautiful poems! And I enjoy the unlimited expressions of love that are expressed by each contributor. 🙂
Thank you very much Evan, for making us think about today`s topic to be wary of human opinion. And thank you for the whole SpiritView! For me it means to let only God`s healing and blessing opinion lead us steadyly.
Decades ago when I started with Christian Science nurses training I wanted to make an advanced course. The visiting nurse in my town said to me that I don`t have
enough maturity for that course. As I really wanted to improve, I thought about that opinion of the nurse; and it came to my mind that there is no immaturity for God`s child. It was so clear to me, that a little later I made that course that brought me advancement in my training. I was so grateful for that truth in action .
Maximo, what an inspiring poem, thank you very much 🙂
Thank you all commentors for your enriching and inspired comments. I am very keen to read them everyday.
SO IMPORTANT!
I’ve been striving this morning to see my own mortal opinions about myself or others, the false witness of conflictions of many minds, powerful or un — to see all this as weighing exactly zero. Less than dust. Obliterated shadows in the full light of God’s day.
Another definition of opinion is the kind that comes before the gavel slams down. Guilty!
When what I see with my five senses start such judgments, growing opinions like mold I can scrub them out with truth. The physical senses are liars. ONLY God constitutes consciousness ONLY God’s beloved, all-cared for children are present, who know and feel with complete certainty their goodness and worth, their eternal innocence.
I love your analogy of negative opinions being like mold that you scrub out with truth! That idea is a keeper. “Scrubbing “is an energetic activity, not passive at all.
To be flippant – “the Lysol of Truth” will work for me, I’m sure!
Ditto, what Jane said!
I love reading Evan’s inspiration followed by the mini-testimony meeting contributions of others. I always find it helpful to learn the practical applications of principles–absolutely unlimited opportunities. Thanks to all.
Thank you for sharing that wonderful lesson Evan. Maximo, I always enjoy your poems. And thank you all for sharing.
Thanks for this timely thought.
Thank you Evan and everyone. It came to me that this applies to my own opinion too. There are a couple of areas I need to develop more skills, and my opinion that I may not improve further needs to be corrected since ‘progress is the law of God’. Great nudge to think again about this.
Thank you Maximo for another lovely poem 🙂
Thanks to Evan, Maximo, and other contributors. Opinions—there can be too many, and it can become confusing. My parents taught me to keep quiet about decisions I had to make, and to listen for God’s direction. I’m so grateful for their guidance. It works!
Another m as for “nerve” had been struck!
How Wary we must be of limited and limiting mortal mind views!
My daughter’s 4th grade teacher (4th!!!) told us she was not “college material.”
She excelled in college, graduated with honors, went on to get two Master’s Degrees, and has taught school for 28 years!! So much for opinions, huh!
(yes, we worked a while with a CS practitioner re this.)
Loving the truth!!
This made me realize that I am probably taking too much notice of people’s comments about a broken arm taking about 12 months to regain complete normalcy in movement and ability instead of knowing that progress is God’s law and will happen anyway despite human opinion, even though meant to be helpful and kind. I will try to think of exercise as being part of everyday.
Thank you for opening my eyes, Evan.