Citigroup announced today that they will lay off 50,000 employees soon. That is a very large number of workers who will be looking for new jobs. Many other corporations are planning similar reductions in their workforce.

With unemployment growing rapidly this is a good time to know the truth about full employment in order to protect one’s job, or to be ready to find new employment if the occasion arises.

I look to the Christian Science practice as the ultimate model for demonstrating successful full employment.

Why?

Because to succeed in the Christian Science practice, you have to demonstrate worth and value without any free rides.

In the practice, you cannot depend upon a company to pay you regardless of your performance. You cannot expect someone to keep you employed for performing tasks that are suddenly rendered obsolete. In general, society does not have sympathy for you or pity you even though you give heart and soul to better other people’s lives. There are a large number of detractors who want you unemployed and mentally work against you to that end. It takes a strong faith, deep understanding of spiritual supply, and firm conviction to succeed at staying fully employed in the CS practice.

Yet, as demanding as the demonstration is on one’s faith in God in the full-time practice of CS, thousands have succeeded. They have faced down the beasts of poverty and lack, seen through their lies, and demonstrated supply in their healing work. Not theoretical airy-fairy supply solely in one’s mind, but hard cash to pay the bills. And many have done very well at it.

A practitioner does not recruit clientele, flood the mail with resumes, or talk himself up to gain business. A practitioner follows the model Jesus Christ has given to let one’s light shine. It’s their light that attracts the clientele. Christly love helps and heals the patient. And results bring them back.

While praying about employment for several of my patients recently, it occurred to me that every worker, no matter what virtuous field occupied or job opportunity needed, is being asked to demonstrate the model of the CS practitioner to some degree.

With these massive layoff announcements, many of the people losing their jobs did nothing wrong. Their jobs became casualties of the larger economic calamity the world is grappling with. Yet, they still need a job, and the old field they worked in might not exist anymore.

Would this type of scenario phase the CS practitioner? Nope, because the practitioner does not look to the world for help or support. He or she looks directly to God for guidance, and relies upon the resources of Love to continue demosntrating worth and value that creates demand for his or her services.

For instance, a practitioner has to constantly adapt to the needs of the moment. One day, there may be a rash of heart cases to heal. Another day, it might be the flu. Another day marriage problems, or too many bills, or depression or…? A practitioner has to be mega-flexible, always adjusting to the demand of the moment. He is able to do this because he is not drawing upon personal abilities to aid his clients. He is drawing upon the infinite resources of divine Love, which work in any and every situation presented.

Anyone looking for a job, can rely upon these same unlimited resources.

Successful employment is about working for God, not for self.

God is the Head Employer over all, giving workers the talents, skills, ideas, and inspiration they need to demonstrate value and worth. The kind of “cases,” or work, one is called upon to do may change day by day, or year by year, as many workers are finding now with job phase-outs. But when one is drawing upon the Big Boss for help needed, its easier to adapt and meet the demands of the moment.

As an active practitioner discovers, there is never a shortage of people to help and needs to be met. The brighter one’s light, the more the need is apparent and the starker the opportunities staring one in the face.

With today’s economy there is no shortage of people in need of help and services. There is a demand for people to listen better for how they can help others in need. Those who discern the supply that meets the contemporary demand for help will find ample work awaiting them, and they will flourish.

They also will never fear being out of a job again, for unemployment is impossible when working for divine Love. EVERYONE needs Love….