If a stranger walked up to you holding 20 pounds of stinky garbage in their arms and demanded, “Carry this around for me,” would you obey their command? I doubt it. Yet, the same type of experience happens too frequently in mental ways many people are not aware of.
For instance, if a co-worker gets super mad at the office about a perceived injustice, and wants you to get mad with them. Do you go along? Do you start to feel angry too, upset and irritated? If so, you just accepted an ugly load of garbage into your thought from mortal mind. Maybe there is an injustice that needs to be corrected, but hatred and heated anger are not the way to do it. Sound sensible reason, truth, wisdom, healing insight and proactive steps to positive reform are going to bring the good results.
Or if a neighbor unloads a weighty description of disease symptoms and pain that they are going through, and wants you to feel their suffering, do you consent to their intent and start to feel depressed by their plight? If so, you just accepted a mortal mind dump into thought. Yes, their suffering is a call to help, but the best help you can give will be a clear understanding of their spiritual individuality, made in the likeness of God, that stays healthy and strong.
Heated emotions, raging anger, livid jealousy, envy, extreme self-righteousness, puffed up pride, vain ignorance, and their kin, are all different types of “garbage,” mortal mind would unload on the unsuspecting thought. Be wise. Be discerning! You don’t have to suffer for mortal mind’s false beliefs. You don’t have to accept something that doesn’t come from God. Keep your mental home clean with Truth and Love, and free of mortal mind’s unwanted refuse. You’ll stay healthier and happier!
“At all times and under all circumstances, overcome evil with good. Know thyself, and God will supply the wisdom and the occasion for a victory over evil. Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you” Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health, p. 571.
Wow! You summed up today’s social, political and health issues, Evan, with one swipe of your
“Pen”!! Being conscious of our thoughts and reactions is definitely health and peace giving!!
Thank you for this reminder
That was me yesterday. One phone call and off I went full of self-righteous indignation to correct something personally. It can seem very difficult to resist when something seems to have already gone wrong and it concerns something we love like Church and on top of that was totally avoidable. ‘Thou art good and doest good’ [Ps 119:68] God doesn’t need us to be good or do good. He needs us to be, like Him, to reflect good, to be harmonious and peaceful. Thank you for this vital reminder not to be tempted to think we need to be good or do good in God’s absence.
Wow. Thanks Eleanor. We aren’t doing God’s good in case She isn’t there already at work (…..!!).
I just found this wonderful statement in Mrs. Eddy’s writings: (Mis. Writings, p. 256) “Whatever law is, Mind is . . ..The distinction between that which is and that which is not law, must be made by Mind and as Mind.”
Whatever has influence or effect on us is based on some law. How liberating to know, as you bring out, that making the distinction between what has and hasn’t an effect on our lives must be based on God — “must be made by Mind and as Mind” — that the only cause or effect we need to allow into our thinking is not only MADE by infinite Love itself, the Mind and Life of all, but AS infinite Love, the one Mind, forever loving, forever blessing all.
The quote above has a mis-spelling. The correct quote is (from Concord): Wherever law is, Mind is; and the notion that Mind can be in matter is rank infidelity, which either excludes God from the universe, or includes Him in every mode and form of evil. Pantheism presupposes that God sleeps in the mineral, dreams in the animal, and wakes in a wicked man.
The distinction between that which is and that which is not law, must be made by Mind and as Mind.
(Mis. 256:26–7)
Nice analogy, Evan. Thank you for this insight.
I used to work for an international airline, and part of my duty was to resolve customers’ complaints.
One day I called a gentleman to try and resolve his complaint…from my side there was a logical explanation for what had happened. As I told him the details,, after every sentence he said
“Rubbish!!”.
No matter what mortal mind is saying, even if to human reasoning it seems logical, we need to consign it to the rubbish bin!
Love it, Patricia! Your response reveals your extraordinary spiritual understanding, to view his interesting behavior as a powerful reminder to reorient to Truth!
Great reminder, thank you, Evan!!
🙂
What wonderful comments this morning, filled with spiritual insights. I have also been struggling to right a wrong. Yesterday I wrote my final letter in this attempt, and then said “Leave it to GOD!”
Thank you. A wonderful way to begin the day.. Blessings to all today.
Yes, garbage can be difficult to get rid of. I like that “Leave it to God.” I would like God, Love, to show me how not to cry over the loss of my brother. I have no children and a sister who I am not close to–we are too opposite and she needs space. I have left a sister in law and my niece and nephew and a 96 year old mother who does not know that her son committed suicide. I struggle a little with knowing where he is. I no longer have him to tell “we are getting a new AC or a roof- big things I have never done before.” I am grateful my niece is moving fairly close to me –Birmingham, Alabama. Attachments are hard. Looking for a long train to get on. Seems like heaven.
Dear Carole, Diving more deeply into our study of Christian Science is the answer when we face a profound sorrow such as you are facing. When my son passed on under medical care last year the only person who addressed the issue head on was a Christian Science nurse who said ‘It never touched his true spiritual being’. Mrs Eddy’s reply when informed that Edward Kimball had passed on is very helpful and is published in Miscellany p 297 ‘There is no Death’. Significantly my teacher told me that it was I who needed to give up my belief in death and this is something we can work on every day. Don’t accept it as a concept because it is an illusion, not a concept we are obliged to hold in thought as associated with anyone. Life, God, is the law of everyone’s being including your brother’s right now.
Excellent and much needed.
Well said Evan!!! At times I will get in a tizzy along with others. A great reminder to help others get rid of their “rubbish” and not accept any of it for ourselves or others. Love everyone’s comments! Thank you all!
Am so grateful to Evan, for his important and wonderful clear and inspiring lesson in today`s SpiritView!
I for my part say, it is very much needed! Sometimes when I talk to non Christian Scientists, who are really nice, and they tell me their problems, I must see them as God`s child. But it is not so easy if they go on telling you all their “rubbish”. But what Eleanor says, to daily dive deeper into the weekly lesson and in general in the study of Christian Science, helps very much to put ones mental spiritual armor on in order to see all these “rubbish” as nothing and not coming from God. And then we can more clearly see this person as a loved and healthy child of God.
Evan says: “be wise, be discerning! You don`t have to suffer for mortal mind`s false beliefs. You don`t have to accept what doesn`t come from God.” That is so distinct and helpful. And by preparing our day with studying the lesson, we are armed with the divine Truth and can refuse to take over the “rubbish”. God, divine Love made man to His pure image, unable to express any negative traits. In this way we can see that person trying to give us it`s “Rubbish” and so we help not only ourselves but that dear individual as well !
Thank you Evan for your wonderful insights, we are all so blessed through it !
Thank you a l l for your helpful and interesting comments!
Dear Uta, Thank you for reminding us to put our mental spiritual armour on, those Christly qualities of thought like meekness and humility and spiritual strength, which mortal mind’s useless suggestions cannot penetrate.
Wow I just.love your quote “spirtiual armor” and how u/we can/to appied it.
Good thoughts on loving the true identity of the individual sharing the “rubbish” with us! Sometimes I feel obliged to show pity or else risk seeming uncaring. Other times I realize I’m avoiding and labeling certain coworkers as “negative.” I appreciate this reminder to hold thoughts of everyone in Truth, no matter what they are telling us.
Wow I just.love your quote “spirtiual armor” and how u/we can/to appied it.
Wonderful, Eleanor, thank you !
lol Very interesting way to look at it. A lot of the people around me, like at work, often give whole transcripts of their symptoms. Sometimes I might throw in a groan or two just to show that I’m being supportive (especially since we can’t discuss our spirituality at my work) but I don’t really take it in. Kind of like when Jesus used words like “devil” to meet the people of his time at their level.
My heart goes out to you with such love, Carole. Before my daughter passed on some years ago, she prayed with Mrs. Eddy’s hymn 160. One Sunday shortly thereafter, it was sung in church, and the words “Love looseth thee, and lifteth me, Ayont hates thrall:…” suddenly meant to me that she was speaking to me, loosening me and lifting her above, beyond, hates binds. Such peace encompassed me, and still does for all. You may also enjoy the Sentinel May 6 article entitled, “Will I see you again?”