Seven ways to understand God

March 15, 2023 | 101 comments

Children are some of the best spiritual instructors!

I teach a class of youngsters in my church’s Sunday school.

A few weeks ago, one of the youngsters piped up, “Let’s make a video and put it on the web! We could talk about God and that might help other people learn about God too.”

I said, “Okay. That’s doable. What do you want to talk about?”

“The seven synonyms for God!” they exclaimed.

And here we have it. A short video on seven different ways to understand God.

I warn you…the children’s teaching method is adorable.

(I agreed with the mothers to not publish the names of the children. Thanks for honoring that commitment in your comments).

Enjoy!!

101 thoughts on “Seven ways to understand God”

  1. Wow. This is great. We are in the same house, which has seven windows, all presenting different views as we look through them, but we are in that same house. The seven synonyms of God. say it all. What an analogy! Beautiful children. Alleluia.

  2. My goodness, adorable truths from the mouth of beautiful kids. Thank you girls and Evan.

    I would like a more muted soundtrack so words aren’t lost in the music.

    1. Thanks for turning the background soundtrack down -to be softer. It really helps highlighting the kid’s voices. ❤️

  3. Evan, What a blessing to have these inspired instructors!

    “Willing to become as a little child, leaving the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea.” Science & Health, Page 323 line 32.

    Isiah 11: 6 The wolf shall also dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid:
    and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together: and a little child shall lead them.

    I’m ready to follow them too!

    Adorable children and what a blessing to see them here on Spirit View! Thank You!

    David

    1. Yes Rhondda I was thinking the same thing. It makes me happy to think of these young children getting a foundation of Truth early in their lives that will serve them well. Thanks Evan, they’re so adorable and precious. So neat to hear that you teach Sunday School, I don’t remember you mentioning that before, chalk up another wonderful spiritual gift you’re giving to the world!

  4. Jesus admonished us to be like little children. They are pure and intelligent, so as God is purity and intelligence. They do understand the simple but wonderful divine Truths already in very young age! Also Mrs. Eddy says somewhere in Science and Health, that there is no immaturity, not even in Babies.
    When I sometimes asked God to please understand Him better, the thought came, that I have everything I need to understand Him working and praying with the 7 synonyms. Wow that all is our GOD! Thank you very much Evan for this very sweet and helpful video! 🙂

  5. So precious! I loved the analogy of looking in a house from 7 different windows! Thanks to you and your students and their parents for sharing!

  6. Touched my heart.. I particularly liked the accompanying artwork. And the passerby toddler! Adorable, just adorable. What a perfect way to launch the day! Thank you, girls, and teacher.

    1. I also loved the analogy of being in one house but looking out of seven different windows- seeing a different yet wonderful view from each one! So adorable and a great Sunday School activity! I liked the little dance at the end!

  7. What came to me how blessed these children are to have you for a teacher . You are doing a great job ! I will share this with my sunday school class! ! Thank you so much Evan, and thank you sweet girls you were wonderful!!

  8. This is so precious!! How very blessed those dear girls are to have you for their teacher! What s great job you are doing with them ! Girls you were were wonderful!!! I will share this with my Sunday School class for sure, they will love it too !!

  9. This the sweetest and most precious video, thank you Evan! And thank you sweet girls I agree, how wonderful that they have you as their teacher !

  10. Thanks Evan:
    Children are God’s precious angels. We should cherish every thought from each and everyone of them..

  11. Thank you so much for this!! What a sweet, simple yet profound explanation of the seven synonyms…. well done to the sweet “ teachers” and Evan! I would love to be in that Sunday School class ❣️( dancing too:)

  12. One God – 7 different ways to look at the perfect, loving, wise, beautiful, good, eternal, real Being. Thank you, children, and Evan!

  13. This video hits the mark with the beautiful girls simply stating who and what God is! Love the idea of the 7 windows in the house of God. Please let their parents know how much we appreciate viewing them in this video. They are so precious! Our Sunday School will view it too.

  14. Thank you for this video, Evan! I will never forget this analogy, 7 windows in ONE house. Very useful. We are still learning at Sunday school, lol. Children are our best teachers

  15. This video is so good! Love the idea of the house and seven windows. I especially like Principle, like the floor, it holds us up and keeps us strong!

  16. Thank you for this video, Evan! I will never forget this analogy, 7 windows in ONE house. It seems we are still learning at Sunday school, lol. Children are our best teachers!

  17. Ditto to all of the above! How truly precious, sweet and endearing. Evan, you are
    a wonderful teacher to these delightful children of God, as you are such an
    inspiration to all of us here on SpiritView! Thank you so much for
    sharing that.

  18. Thank you so much for this video Evan. It’s beautiful! As a preschool teacher, I am blessed every day to be working with children. Their intelligence, innocence, wisdom, and love are a constant and daily inspiration for me. And the dancing!! 🙂

  19. Thank YOU,, Young Children!! May you continue creating more videos expressing what you learn in Sunday School ! It is powerful throughout life— I
    know because it has sustained me for 83 years

  20. Oh my goodness! The “Busy Bees” of today! What dear love xox Will take this in with my work today (rewatching and taking notes) What love you both express. So very dear and most helpful. Hope there are more videos to come. Love to each and everyone of you both infront and behind the camera. ❤️❤️❤️

    Life=Strength Energy Freedom
    Truth=Reality Know the truth!
    Love=Beauty Love meets every need xox
    Mind=Joy Gives us good ideas ❤️
    Soul=Freedom Dancing Gives us answers
    Spirit=Goodness Everywhere
    Principle=Foundation Floor Support (where we can take a stand) A firm foundation xoxo Science

    1. Tears of joy over this sweet video. Having worked with children from my teens on this spoke to my heart.
      I am filled with joy and gratitude for this post.
      Thank you Evan and thank you all!

  21. Thanks for sharing this video. To me it shows that although these children already have a connection to God, they are getting the words to describe it. They are beginning to understand it. This is exciting to see.

    1. Lovely thoughts. Empowering the children to articulate ideas. What an excellent teaching moment, Evan. Praise God.

  22. I agree with Uta and Dottie that these children are blessed to have you, Evan, as their teacher. This was definitely delightful. Many thanks to these adorable girls and their classmates for their great idea.

  23. I agree with Uta and Dottie that these children are blessed to have you as their teacher. Many thanks to these adorable girls and their classmates for this video. And to you, Evan, for producing it

  24. This little video gave me an additional thought. Does anyone remember the publication by CSPS “The House with the cololured windows”? In that instance the image was of there being a white horse in the field outside and only the clear glass window gave the view of the horse in its correct colour. Thje same clear view by the children in the class gave the true image of whatever would be seen withj such purity and innocence.

    1. Yes I do remember that! Sharing it with my children. A clear description of the truth in observation or viewpoint
      Love this precious video.

  25. How could anyone watch this video and not love it and see the innocence it gives to support the true meaning of God. Thank you, Evan for this wonderful video log.

  26. How simple yet so profound out of the mouth of babes! Still thinking about it. It struck me when she mentioned the 7 different views of God through each window, but “you would still be IN the same house.” Wow! At first I was thinking of us looking into the house through the 7 windows, but since we always begin with God, we start from inside the house, the consciousness of God (Principle, Mind, Soul, Spirit, Life, Truth, Love) revealing Himself/Herself. We are not out there separate trying to look into the house through the windows to understand God better.

    Each window represents each nature of God (7 synonyms) viewing His/Her perfect creation seeing only good (Gen 1). For example, Love is looking out a window seeing good, and we are included in Love’s view as the effect of what Love is seeing. How does Love see Love’s creation? How does Life see Life’s creation? How does Spirit see Spirit’s creation, etc? The ability to view creation always remains with God (7 synonyms) in the house, God’s consciousness. The Viewer and the view (Principle and idea) is one (see 465 of our textbook). The view isn’t out there somewhere happening outside the window/house. All the activity of seeing and being seen remain in the house, the consciousness of God, Mind, Principle, Soul, Spirit, Life, Truth, Love. “All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all” (468:10). There is nothing outside All, nothing outside the window/house.

    Thank you again for this precious, profound video! I also teach Sunday school, and this will be helpful to share with students of all ages. This “in the same house” was just so helpful to me. It isn’t different ways for us to look at God from the outside; it is the different ways God views us/all of creation! Each name/nature of God seeing His/Her own creation gives us a different sense of who God is, who we are, and the nature of all creation.

    This was so helpful for me and eye-opening! I am so grateful for Mrs. Eddy Discovery that gave us the 7 synonyms!

  27. How simple yet so profound out of the mouth of babes! Still thinking about it. It struck me when she mentioned the 7 different views of God through each window, but “you would still be IN the same house.” Wow! At first I was thinking of us looking into the house through the 7 windows, but since we always begin with God, we start from inside the house, the consciousness of God (Principle, Mind, Soul, Spirit, Life, Truth, Love) revealing Himself/Herself. We are not out there separate trying to look into the house through the windows to understand God better.

    Each window represents each nature of God (7 synonyms) viewing His/Her perfect creation seeing only good (Gen 1). For example, Love is looking out a window seeing good, and we are included in Love’s view as the effect of what Love is seeing. How does Love see Love’s creation? How does Life see Life’s creation? How does Spirit see Spirit’s creation, etc? The ability to view creation always remains with God (7 synonyms) in the house, God’s consciousness. The Viewer and the view (Principle and idea) is one (see 465 of our textbook). The view isn’t out there somewhere happening outside the window/house. All the activity of seeing and being seen remain in the house, the consciousness of God, Mind, Principle, Soul, Spirit, Life, Truth, Love. “All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all” (468:10). There is nothing outside All, nothing outside the window/house.

    Thank you again for this precious, profound video! I also teach Sunday school, and this will be helpful to share with students of all ages. This “in the same house” was just so helpful to me. It isn’t different ways for us to look at God from the outside; it is the different ways God views us/all of creation! Each name/nature of God seeing His/Her own creation gives us a different sense of who God is, who we are, and the nature of all creation.

    This was so helpful for me and eye-opening! I am so grateful for Mrs. Eddy’s Discovery that gave us the 7 synonyms!

  28. Pure Love and Joy and Innocence ❣️
    I cannot stop smiling.
    Thank you, sweet girls and Evan, for your special gift.

  29. This is absolutely adorable! I recall my Sunday School days and the many things I learned about God and Christian Science.
    What a joy it is to have you for a Sunday School Teacher, a Christian Science Teacher and an Association speaker. Evan, you’re such a gift and a blessing to this World and to Christian Science.

  30. And the winner is…….”The Seven Synonyms of God”!! By the sheer number of responses to this adorable, dearly performed video by these precious children of God there is no doubt as to how many it has touched the hearts of all who have viewed it.

  31. Dear Evan,- What a beautiful, brilliant, inspired idea to create this precious video! What a great blessing you are to these children, and to us all!!

  32. This is just what I needed to hear today! Obviously these children are listening for all right ideas and understanding and that is helping me listen, too. Thank you very much!

  33. Evan, thank you so much for sharing that wonderful teaching video with us. Girls, you did a beautiful job of expressing the 7 synonyms of God. Loved the Soul dance.
    Thank you Heather in Georgia for the script of the ideas in this presentation…well done!
    Thank you John. I remember sharing the story of the house with the different colored windows with my children.
    Thank you C Ragan for sharing your view of the 1 House with 7 Windows and how God views us. It gave me an extra view of this precious lesson.
    Thank you all for the love expressed. I too think it would be great to have Evan for a Sunday School teacher. God is GOOD!!!

  34. OH MY GOODNESS!!! I clicked on the start button thinking “oh this will be fun”, but I had NO IDEA that I’d be smiling ear to ear the whole time, and learning and growing and feeling the power of the Word!! What an inspiring treat! Even the love expressed between the two girls was palpable and a teaching point!

  35. Isaiah 11 v6

    ..and a little child shall lead them…
    Isn’t it so heart warming to see how many are touched here today as these little ones’ .happy , spiritual light shines on us all….
    Thank you for sharing this Evan.

  36. Evan, Thank you so much for this precious video! What a great idea! I’m going to share it with my grandchildren. The girls’ knowledge and explanations are impressive. Well done, Young Ladies! ❤

  37. Thank you Evan, an awesome video and the girls did so well teaching each of us in such a pure, innocent way. Love definitely inspired this sweet video. Thank you to each one who commented, what a large Sunday School Class here on SV. I am very grateful !

    1. thank you Anna, what a large Sunday School Class here on SV, that`s beautifully said!
      I am very grateful for it, as well!

  38. A friend taught 7 synonyms with gestures
    Mind – close your eyes and listen
    Soul – smile, Soul makes you happy
    Life – turn on the light…you are connected
    Truth – clap..Truth is good
    Principle – count on your fingers to 7..Principle is rule, law
    Love – give yourself a hug
    Spirit – put your thumb’s together and flap your fingers..Spirit is freedom… free as a bird or butterfly

    1. Love this, thank you. I’m going to try and remember these. I thought i could do them in the car at traffic lights (well not the first one) xx

  39. The video, the girls, the concepts are perfect❣️
    And the responses are fantastic❣️
    What a wonderful Spirit View❤️

  40. Wow! What lovely girls–and so inspiring the way they shared the synonyms! They are so blessed to have you as a teacher, Evan. Just as we are all blessed with all you share each day. Thank you!

  41. What dear children! We are all the dear children of God!

    Thanks, Evan, and your inspiring class! You were our teachers today! Please make more videos.

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