To preserve one’s success, progress and prosperity, it’s important to daily defend thought from external negative mental influence. Like guarding the front door to our home, we do not let strangers in that cause havoc and destruction. We are wise about the guests we allow to enter in order to preserve peace on the home front.

If you like to work and demonstrate worth and value, one statistic that needs to be guarded against today is the rising unemployment rate that has been widely broadcast across the media. Economists have been forecasting a rising rate through the rest of the year, and high unemployment into 2011.

From a spiritual point of view, the rising number means employment opportunities are increasing, not decreasing.

Employment is about working for God, helping one’s neighbor, serving a useful purpose, making a positive difference, engaging with work that generates profit, productively using one’s time and effort to meet needs. Wherever there is a need, there is an employment opportunity.

According to the press, people’s needs have been increasing, not decreasing. And that means there is greater work than ever for those willing to help. And there is a reward to reap.

The belief that there is not enough money to go around and pay wages is illusion.

It’s been interesting to watch the stock market. Investors have pulled out of the market over the last couple of years and prices have declined dramatically. There is no shortage of money to invest. Billions of dollars are sitting on the sidelines waiting for what investors consider ripe opportunities to invest. When that moment hits, the money will flow back in. There is no lack of funds to invest.

With employment, the money is present in the economy to pay wages. That is not a problem. It’s a matter of allocating funds to the most productive and worthwhile purposes. And the resources are going to wait, or flow, in the direction of those serving those most productive and valuable purposes.

I look to the Christian Science practice as the ultimate model for demonstrating employment. Practitioners help people in need. The opportunities to help and income possible has nothing to do with an employment rate, economic forecasts, downturns or upturns. It’s all about drawing upon the infinite resources of divine Love and blessing others with those resources. People have needs, practitioners can meet those needs spiritually, people call for help, healing happens, and gratitude is expressed in practical ways that meet the practitioner’s human needs. People needing the help find the funds they need to receive the help they are looking for just like investors find the funds they need when opportunities are right in the market. There is no lack, but there is a redistribution of resources to the places that bring the greatest benefit.

Any type of worker has a valuable service to offer through the resources of Love he or she puts into practice. These resources come from God and are without limit. When the needs of humanity are great, employment opportunities are even greater.

Jesus Christ went about doing good works for others. He never worried about the economy at large, or suffered from it. He drew upon the infinite resources of wisdom, love and spiritual mindedness to keep fully employed and do his work well. And his human needs were met every day. It’s the way of Love, and a path we all can walk down and benefit from.