I chuckled when I read this story for it reasonated with me as true in so many ways.
Some guy bought a new fridge for his house.
To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in his front yard and hung a sign on it saying: “Free to good home. You want it, you take it.”
For three days the fridge sat there without even one person looking twice at it.
He eventually decided that people were too untrusting of this deal. It looked to good to be true, so he changed the sign to read: “Fridge for sale $50.”
The next day someone stole it.
And, to counter the jest of the above story–it can’t be stolen!!
When there is no commonly accepted standard of value attached to what we offer, society at large sees no value in it. This often happens with new practitioners of Christian Science. If they see their services as having no value and do not charge appropriately for their professional services, society at large typically sees no value in their services either. But once value is identified and understood, suddenly, others see value there too.
In our family there is a saying that no matter what a practitioner charges, the work is worth at least twice the amount. We try to pay accordingly.
I think that is true for whatever the occupation. Stay at home moms work hard too. We are all valuable in our own individual way.
A fun story, Evan, and very … symbolic!
Ah, what a relative world, this “hue-man” one.
But, what and where is the ‘flat’ earth? The human realm?
What is truly valuable?
THE CHRISTIANLY SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE OF DIVINE FACTS!!!
:<))
Thank you for that, Evan. This is a lesson I am definitely learning!
Love,
Melanie
work that heals is worth twice the amount. Work that doesn’t? what is the value of that?
Jesus healed for free. I think that people would be more readily drawn to Christian Science if practitioners were available to the sick and suffering without payment. Just the fact that they do charge seems distasteful to me.
Apparently Joel Goldsmith didn’t charge for his healing/prayer services. But he would have to live though; perhaps his wife did paid work somewhere else. Anyone know?
It would be nice to never have to charge as a CS practitioner, but I’d have to quit my practice. I have to pay my bills, feed my kids, put gas in my car, pay rent, just like everyone else. It’s the world we live in. Churches pay their ministers a salary so their ministers can devote time to their parishoners. There is nothing unusual about a CS practitioner charging for their services. They don’t receive a salary from a church or institution. They work their own way through the world and take responsibility for their expenses just like everyone else has to. It’s okay…
Not to be confrontational with a previous poster but I absolutely believe practitioners SHOULD charge for their work.
My husband is not a CS’ist but is very supportive of all my choices regarding health care and in particular, if I feel I need to talk to a CS practitioner to help me sort some things thru…to perhaps gain new insight in some situation. I could also go to a therapist (as many of my friends do…and NOT a free service) but I prefer the direction and inspiration gained in working with a practitioner. He knows this and always sees the charges as something similar…my sort of “therapist” if you will. He sees and values the support I’m given.
A practitioners healing work MUST be valued and paid for.
I didn’t mean for you to take that personally. My point was that it is just a shame that the church was structured that way. Maybe some of the newer CS churchs will be bold enough to make that change. If practitioners could be paid from the funds received from the offerings at services, bequests from estates, and the other avenues that the churchs receive money, I think practitoners could be well compensated without the stigma of having to send a bill or get a paypal account.
I find I make a much greater effort and consistency to seek and find spiritual solutions in my life when I’m investing in them rather than given it. But, that’s just me. It reminds me how important and valuable it is.
I’m equally happy paying a practitioner when my thinking needs cleaning as I do a dentist when my teeth need cleaning.
And, I LOVE spending my days with children and watching them bloom and grow… but you can bet I want to see that paycheck in my bank account every month. I do my job because I love it. The $$$ are an expression of gratitude for what I do best.
That’s what paying a practitioner is for me.
At our house, I am CS, working on becoming a listed practitioner, and my husband is not, although he values and has benefitted from the work of several dear practitioners. I once insisted that a practitioner friend of ours send us a bill for work she did for him. I have seen that the work is valued more by the patient who isn’t CS when it is paid for. It’s a way of emphasizing understanding: that the mission, intent, and expectations of a treatment are healing.
As most of the previous comments have stated, I agree that Practitioners should charge and be paid for their services. An important provision established by Mary Baker Eddy, for sure!
My slight frustration has been regarding the amount charged. I was used to paying a Practitioner $10 per treatment, an amount which she reduced by half if the work went longer than 15 days. That has always been reasonable to me, especially since I don’t have insurance. I can budget $150 per month if needed.
But one time I called on a different Practitioner, and didn’t ask how much she charged. When I learned that the amount was four times the amount that I was used to, I had to ask her to stop working for me because I simply couldn’t afford it. And I know we should all be demonstrating supply enough to cover Practitioner’s fees, but now I feel I have to “price shop”, and that leaves me uncomfortable. There have actually been times when I have needed the help of a Practitioner, but did not make the call because I didn’t have enough money and didn’t feel I should ask for a payment plan.
My Teacher charges a per treatment rate, but does not send invoices or statements … does not keep track. He relies on a sort of “honor code” and trusts that his patients will pay him when they can. He views payment as an expression of gratitude versus a salary source, and I love that! That seems like a more spiritual approach, and makes it easier for me to make the call when I need the help.
The healing work that Practitioners do is invaluable, and I’m so grateful.