Are you ever tempted to compare yourself to a friend or neighbor? This can be an unhealthy mental path to pursue because too often it leads to envy, jealousy or depression if you feel like they have advantages over you, or it may lead to bloated ego, self-righteousness and vain pride if you believe you are better than them.
The better way is to compare with Christ, not with another mortal.
Christ is the ideal man. Christ embodies the perfection of God. Christ is the standard by which all true manhood and womanhood is measured. Anything less, is not worthy of compare.
And by “compare,” I don’t mean starting with a mortal concept of yourself and then comparing it to the Christ-man. But quite the opposite. Start with the Christ-man, and see it in you.
From God’s point of view, you are not an imperfect mortal. You are a perfect immortal.
If a quality does not exist in Christ, it does not exist in you, the offspring of Spirit.
The Christ governed man is intelligent, able and capable. Christ’s man is filled with dominion and authority. He manifests self-control, discipline, order, harmony and peace. Christ’s man is healthy, sound, intact. She is wise and worthy, loved and cared for.
If you perceive a quality in yourself that is undesirable, and this quality does not exist in Christ, then it’s time to disown it. It’s not you.
Strive to be Christ-like, not mortal like. Don’t worry about your neighbor and what they look like or do. They have their salvation to work out, just like you do. And what they are doing has no bearing on how successful you can be in your demonstration. They are neither ahead or behind your demonstration. They are found in Christ too.
Only what you find in Christ is true about your neighbor and true about you.
Use Christ as your standard. Not one to rise to, so much as to live out from and express.
This ideal is already within you. It is you.
Each day is your opportunity to live true to who you are—what God created you to be.
There are no limits on your individuality as a child of God. Follow Christ, not your neighbor, and be all that God created you to be.
There is no mortal in this world that can compare to you, or you can be compared to. You are immortal!
“When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you”
Jesus Christ, John 14:20, NLT.
Thank you so much, Evan, just what I needed to hear this morning!
Oh, how much your today`s SV is needed by me, and I`m sure by everybody else, too. Thank you so much, dear Evan. It is very very helpful, one can work with it throughout the day.
From this I understand, w e all are the Christ-man. In one sentence you said “She”, meaning the Christ-man – thats nice. Yes, God created man with both, mail- and femail-qualities, so everything you say about the Christ-man is socalled “unisex”. Ok, lets go and demonstrate!
Thank you Evan! More and more I’m realizing the importance of thinking “out from” the true man rather than thinking I have to “work my way up to” the true man. The idea that we’re material beings trying to figure out how to be Godlike is so prevalent. When in fact we’re God’s reflection so we’re Godlike right now!
I love how you put it:
Start with the Christ-man, and see it in you.
and
Use Christ as your standard. Not one to rise to, so much as to live out from and express.
In the book We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, Volume II, Edward Norwood wrote the following:
She (Mrs. Eddy) spoke of man being coexistent with God and used this illustration: If one stands before a mirror, his reflection does not “grow” into full size. It is so, at once. So is man coexistent with good–the image of Mind.
“If you perceive a quality in yourself that is undesirable, and this quality does not exist in Christ, then it’s time to disown it. It’s not you.”
Maybe we could use that healing truth in praying about those in government and leadership! Could I rephrase that statement to say: If I perceive a quality in myself (or others) that is undesirable, and this quality does not exist in Christ, then it’s time to disown it. It’s not you and it’s not THEM! Start with the Christ-man and see it in others! Tall order! But necessary. There aren’t two classes of man: The Christ-man and mortal man. There’s only the Christ-man who is the genuine you and me and them. Thank you, Evan, this is really good stuff!
Thank you Evan. What a wonderful way to start the day. Blessings to all.
The Christ Man opens the spiritual thought! Thanks, Evan
Such a wonderful way to start the day. Many thanks Evan. Your blogs are always so helpful. We need to see the ‘real’ identity of all man/womankind. We also need to be aware of the ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’, which will creep up on us if we are not careful. Things are not always as they appear to be and in today’s world, there are a lot of lies portrayed as truths to forward an agenda. We need to try to see everyone as harmonious in this world of protests and struggles of division that we currently seem to be experiencing. I happen to see a Christian broadcast the other night where our new President was doing an interview, which was very enlightening. His humbleness and saying that the office has provided him with a greater need for God was so wonderful to hear. I pray for his guidance from this higher power where the world will find peace. Have a great day everyone!
Thank you Evan! This post is incredibly deep, and yet so simple. What a paradox. Sharing your inspiration with us is a great gift. I so appreciate it!
Thanks so much Evan, just what I needed to hear with all the turmoil going on in the U.S. and the world. It’s so nice to be able to come to SpiritView and escape all the seeming discord and get the Truth about our spiritual identity. Grace I really appreciate your comments about relating the ideas in Evan’s post to the current new administration. I find myself praying daily to look beyond the apparent bigotry, racism, misogyny, anti-semitism that are prevalent in our Government and the world today. Humbleness is definitely not something I would associate with the new President and I hope that Divine Mind leads us to a higher understanding of God’s true government.
We all have our identity in Christ which can never be lost nor forgotten in life that is eternal. We are all fully capable, spiritual reflections of the one true God which is not mortal nor limited to the material human sense of being. We can take comfort in that to see ourselves and our fellow man each in the true light life. My thought comes to the crystal prism which reflects all the colors of the cosmos and so it is that each of us can shine with our own special color not one better than the other but each with it’s own beauty making the whole complete and wonderful. Your blog is such a wonderful daily healing treatment, Evan. I look forward to them everyday and especially the inspiring comments of those who are willing to share.
I see no turmoil in the world…..I see no evil in the world
I see only Gods Love and reflections of Love…….Seriously..Thats what I see
Very timely, been praying about this very subject. Thanks Evan for clarity: “Not one to rise to, so much as to live out from and express.”
Praying for the World……Yes, the World needs our Prayers! I called a C.S. Practitioner the other day to ask her how we, as Christian Scientists, are to pray for our World. She sent me a wonderful Article from the Jan. 1942 issue of the C.S. Journal……(a time of World War II – dealing with the Dictatorship of Hitler in Germany.) The author of the Article is Lucy Hays Reynolds. It points out that we are to pray “that all mankind may awaken to an understanding of Truth and surrender to the majesty and might of the Christ-idea, which harmonizes world affairs……” I believe this is how Mrs. Eddy prayed for the World during her time here on earth. I’m willing to give it a Go…..anyone want to join me….??
I just had to respond to the humbleness comment, because I think it is very important to keep an open mind and it is all part of trying to bring harmony to our country and world, as so many things are distorted or misrepresented these days. (I have never heard the Christian broadcasting network before, and am not promoting it, but just happened to hear the interview with the President on it.) He explained that he does pray and how he is trying to use God as a source of his guidance and I really think it is worth the time to watch this interview, all the way through, where it also brings up about racism, etc. and his viewpoint and how things can be turned around from the truth. I’m not saying that everything he says or does is perfect (mortally speaking), but I believe and pray that he is trying to do for the country what he thinks is best. Please google News on the 700 Club interview with the president Jan. 30, 2017. It is a great perspective on things we need to know the Truth about.
P.S. The Title of the Article I mentioned is: Fervently Praying For The World, by Lucy Hays Reynolds, C.S. Journal, January 1942.
P.P.S. Also, in the above-mentioned Article, Ms. Hays talks about how Mrs. Eddy knew that awakening and arousing world consciousness “would overthrow humanity’s belief in evil and disarm the anti-Christ……” Let’s be Alert and not be fooled into giving the anti-Christ any Power, in whatever Form or in whatever Personality it is portraying itself now in the World! It takes great courage and strength, strong faith and spiritual understanding to be willing to see the evil first, and then to know how to handle it and destroy it! We cannot be Fooled!
Carol, I tried everything I could think of on Google: news. 700 club, 700 club interview, plus several others and nothing worked. I’d really like to view that interview. Can you offer any other suggestions?
Thank you, Lori. It was a CBN News Network interview. News on the 700 Club: January 30, 2017 Try to find President interview. I’m not sure if the link will come up if I type it here now. Will try: ourtube.net/watch/1CT3sNrisiA or maybe try typing that into your browser if it doesn’t. CBN I believe stands for Christian Broadcasting Network. Perhaps it may come up if you go to their site.
I hope you can see the interview. It really is worth watching.
http://www.cbn.com/tv/4246747370001?mobile=false
Here is the link to the interview. Hope it works.
Thank you so much, Shireen. That is just a small part of the interview, but thank you for posting it. To see the entire interview, try typing in www1.cbn.com and under CBN News tab, go to The Full Interview: President Trump Talks with CBN’s David Brody I hope this comes up for you if the other link doesn’t.
“Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing”……Jesus. Also, Jesus was able to see right through the pious Pharisees and called them “whited sepulchers”. He told them that the so-called “sinners’ would get to Heaven before them. It’s always what’s in the Heart…..what are the Motives….not what it looks like on the outside. Let’s stay Alert to detect the subtleties of error! And believe me, error gets subtler and subtler right before it’s final destruction!
Thank you Evan for always being there for us. Grace, Trey and Bevi – well said!
Thank you so much Evan for this inspiring and helpful blog. It’s always so freeing to know the only one we need to please is God, the only thing that matters is what God thinks about us. (=
Bevi, I’m with you! I will strive to pray each day “that all mankind may awaken to an understanding of Truth and surrender to the majesty and might of the Christ-idea, which harmonizes world affairs……”.
The following verse from one of my favorite hymns always gives me hope:
“Oh, dreamer, leave they dreams for joyful waking, O captive, rise and sing, for thou art free; The Christ is here, all dreams of error breaking, Unloosing bonds of all captivity.” Hymn 412
The Christ is here and will awaken all mankind! ~j~
Thanks Evan for the lovely inspiration. God blesses each and every child of his with a special gift. He is so kind. Why then anybody should compare or be jealous. In fact we need to be happy in our fellow beings success and progress. I always feel very happy to see my friends happy.
The second part of your inspiration is so good.” Only what you find in Christ is true about your neighbor and true about you. Use Christ as your standard. Not one to rise to, so much as to live out from and express.”
We often forget that we reflect the Chris,t and so do our brethren. So comforting to know that whats true about Christ is true about all of us and we have all those good qualities to express and see them in others too.