A mother referred to her child as special because of some developmental disabilities that child was struggling with.
I said to her, “Yes, your child is very special, but only for spiritual reasons!” We then talked about the spiritual individuality of that child, how God had given that child the ability to think intelligently, to act ably and live Life to the fullest. We talked about some of the wonderful qualities of God this young one ably expressed. We decided that it wasn’t the error-belief of a material disability that made the child special. It was the spiritual qualities he expressed as a child of God that made him special!
In the eyes of God, what makes a person special is not material distinctions, good or bad, but spiritual qualities reflected. It’s what we are spiritually that makes us special in a positive way, and everyone has an awesome spiritual individuality to reflect that is unique—and yes, special.
You are special. I am special. Every family member is special. My neighbor is special. But for spiritual reasons!
If we’re inclined to use the word special in identifying another person, it will be helpful to that person to not let the word special be used as a cover-up for an unsaid belief that there is something wrong with that person. The more healing and helpful use of the word would be to use it as a reference to the positive qualities of God that individual expresses, and can express, even if not fully evident yet. God’s fullness is present to be seen and manifested in everyone!
It’s the spiritual individuality of a person that makes them special.
A healing attitude sees everyone as special—for spiritual reasons!
Thank you for this very helpful insight. We mustn’t be satisfied with using terms which are a cover-up for something else. God’s, Truth’s, view alone is the truth about anything.
A very wise distinction … “only for spiritual reasons!” Thus we stay in the secret place of the most high, where we as the reflections of Spirit have always resided ~ ever expressing our Father, Mother, God. There is neither space nor time for any mortal belief system to usurp God’s power.
Amen, Evan!!
I have a friend who teaches what is labelled ‘special needs’ children. She says though the school lessons can often be very tough, she always tries to look beyond the label to see the child within. (She is not CS by the way but her way of thinking is very in tune). She is also a loving, patient Mum and I am godmother to her beautiful daughter. Thank you Evan for reminding us that we are all special for spiritual reasons. Lovely blog.
Perfect, Evan!
Thanks!
This is excellent, Evan!
Thank U, Evan We are all special as the children of God. A lovely idea to have this blessed Monday or any day!
We are special for spiritual reasons, what an expansive way to looking at ourselves and our world. Today I am going to be on the outlook for the spiritual qualities that make those I encounter today or those who enter my thought unique, starting with my dear husband and my precious dog.
Very good!!
Thanks Evan. You hit the bullseye of spiritual truth. I worked with children categorized with learning disabilities for 7 years. Each day I clearly identified them as God’s spiritual idea. Many restrictions were lifted and much gratitude was shown to me by parents as they made great advances. Our daily lesson sermons allow us to see man as having many special qualities that bless all.
Thank you for making that important message about the word special very clear and emphasizing the Truth about who we are. <3 <3
Thanks, Evan, for starting off the day b reminding us that all of God’s children are special, reflecting His goodness, intelligence, and beauty in individual ways.
For several years I was responsible for supervising the class room in an elementary school for students that had been sent for in school detention rather than being expelled. Knowing that each one was God’s perfect child and reflecting only Him resulted in many blossoming in displaying their natural God given talents. What a blessing this was to them and to me.
Thank you, Laurie. I, too, do something similar at the junior high level–lunch detention and a study skills class for those who just can’t be in a regular class because of behaviour issues. The more I am learning to love and see them spiritually, the better everyone does. Recently I’ve been reading parts of “Education at the Principia” (written by the founder of the CS school in Missouri). Very helpful ideas for working with students–and really anybody! So grateful for this growing opportunity. And I work in a couple “special ed” classes. Love the idea of seeing them special for only spiritual reasons. A lovely, simple idea to negate the belief that they are somehow limited in their abilities. Thank you, Evan.
Thank you for the reminder to see everyone’s spiritual qualities and nature, including our own. It’s not only bad for us to see others as limited mortals either better or worse off than us, but it is incredibly limiting for them as well. We are ALL God’s children. Our Father-Mother created us perfectly.
“Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God’s own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick. Thus Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is intact, universal, and that man is pure and holy.”
A very helpful message – that every one is special for spiritual reasons alone. Thank you for this, and for all who have given examples of how seeing everyone in this light helps to overcome the material false picture. It spurs me on the pray more for my neighbour’s daughter. She has always been a problem since a young child, and we often heard her screaming and crying in the garden, and our hearts went out to her and her parents. Late last year I heard that she had to be locked up (she is now eighteen years old) because she could become violent and a danger to herself and others. I did pray periodically about this over the years, and after hearing the latest sad story, sent them a Christmas card with two C.S. articles about similar cases that had been healed, and offered to speak to them about it if they wished. They were grateful for the articles, but have not been in touch. However, I can renew my prayers and see that she is special for spiritual reasons, and that the material claims are not a part of her true being. I can prayerfully acknowledge that, as Evan has quoted: ‘ God’s fullness is present to be seen and manifested in everyone!” including this dear one.
Thank you!
This hits VERY close to home for me as my close girl friend has special needs I have also known many others throughout the years who do. Calling them “special” and other names in that negative light is also why they remained so stigmatized, and hence, remain on the edges of society. Just because they’re “different”, don’t live in the same world, and maybe not as materially or socially knowledgeable or understanding doesn’t make them any less worthy than anyone else. If you just ask most of them directly, they’ll let you know that they don’t want special treatment-unfortunately, I have met a couple of guys who did expect special treatment to one degree or another and would get resentful whenever they didn’t get it. Which was most of the time. But I didn’t care. I don’t believe in it, either so I wasn’t about to give it to them. I also applaud my girl friend for not wanting special treatment. In fact, I know that one of the reasons that she likes hanging out with me is because she knows that i’m (almost anyway) always willing to meet her at her level and go from there, not the other way around.
The most common thing that I have found with almost all of them over the years is that they want to feel included and connected and they don’t because of the stigma.
I agree that the first thing we need to do is to see them as children of God. 🙂
Thank you dear Evan for the foto, expressing so much joy and freshness and livelines !!
What a wonderful topic “everyone is special for spiritual reasons.”
Thank you for your so clear and understandable metaphysical explanations! Love them and ponder those truth thoughts a lot!
Just want to ad that I am so grateful that I learn to understand in Christian Science the spiritual sense of the Bible. Relating to today’s SpiritView topic I think at God’s creation in the first chapter of Moses, i. e. that God created man in his image and likeness and that God said that it was ,,very” good. Doesn’t that match in principle with the metaphysical contence of Evan’s today’s SpiritView? I understand it so that than every child of God expresses individually all of God’s perfect and wonderful spiritual qualities – very good!
Thank you for this clarification. I run a small book and social group for adults 21 and over who have both physical and mental challenges. We don’t ask what their situation is unless it is medical- I have one member who is very bright but speaks to us through writing or an aide. It was a challenge for me to start this group and run it for 3 years. I was hoping I could do a good job for them. It has been wonderful and we read books out loud, watch movie versions, do vocabulary games and always time to talk about what is going on in our lives. Our book group votes on everything we do. What I find most amazing is that when I look into their eyes- we lock on some level. I hope to fan the flame of who they are and that I see that- and I think they reach to me the same way, asking to be seen as they truly are. Those who were considered ‘anti-social’ all talk to each other now. It’s beautiful thing.
Beautiful post! Great wake-up call and reminder to always make sure we are focusing on everyone’s spiritual gifts as we make it through our day. We all are very special due to our own expression of our spiritual qualities. I love that! You did it again, Evan! Lots of healing attitudes to share.
love this perspective and article so much! thank you!
I have been listening to Evan for umpteen years…..I was glad that MEB of our church sent this article this way, good eye opener and clearer way to aproach one;s own thought about your child!
Great…..:)
Thank you Evan…….. Ithe Man of Gods creation, upright, whole and free, no otherness.