Here’s a thought provoking quote from Mary Baker Eddy. She wrote, “…you never can be a practical Christian Scientist without healing the sick and sinner besides yourself. It is too selfish for us to be working for ourselves and not others as well. God does not bless it.” (Mary Baker Eddy Library, letter L01953).
I know from experience that the more I help others the more I benefit. There is a gigantic spiritual freedom that is felt when you are free of self—not thinking about yourself, worrying about yourself, worried about tomorrow, worried about how to gain more, not to lose, etc., and are able to help others.
Christian Science is about finding your completeness in God. It’s a realization that what you have spiritually from God is the most important substance of all. And as you realize your completeness in God, the more you realize you don’t need to hunt, search, and compete in this world for anything, because you already have what is most important. And then, the more complete you feel, the more you realize you have an abundance of care and love to share with others. Your understanding of God as infinite Love starts to spill over. You can’t keep it to yourself. You are impelled to give. And this giving takes the form of prayer, works and healing in the lives of neighbors that are touched by your unselfish love.
Loving your neighbor with works is practical Christian Science. It’s proof that you understand what you study.
You can’t keep Christian Science to yourself and succeed. Its successful practice requires healing one’s neighbor, too.
Love this! Thank you Evan.
Thank you so much, Evan, thats so deeply true and healing and so helpful!
working on it.
Thank you Evan for your focus on this “moral imperative to heal”. This has been unfolding to me for awhile and this statement has been in the Bible Lesson often lately, ‘Whatever holds human thought in line with unselfed love recieves directly the divine power.” Mary Baker Eddy. I have found that the more unselfish I am, the more my window thought is clear and clean for God to shine through and bless my neighbors as well as myself. And this is Christian Science healing. You are doing such good work!
Good point. As in every endeavor, student, employee, entrepreneur etc., when you help others understand, your own understanding grows by leaps and bounds. Yes we need to achieve a certain level of competency before we can help others — Jesus called it, “Physician heal yourself,” and, “First cast the mote out of your own eye and then you can see clearly to cast the beam out of your brother’s eye.” It’s called tutoring or counseling in academia and business; in Christian Science it’s called practice, whether you are listed in the Christian Science Journal or not and it is joyful work for both the helper and helpee.
Thanks for the message and encouragement to practice what we know. This is a good message for all the strengths we have– whether it is being more patient, more loving, more tolerant and compassionate –the world benefits from each of us giving and sharing from the heart. I have felt more impelled to share, pray for friends, neighbors, community and world than ever before. Feeling the love and good which we know is from God and sharing it, demanding that it be known and apparent in our daily lives helps everyone. Just as Jesus did in his life demonstration, we reach out where ever we are and love, heal, & cheer each other on in all our activities and experiences!
This is a perfect message for me today, Evan, and it is something I’m really working on. Thank you!
Thanks for the great blogs; they are a blessing. I love your new format and listened to your chats yesterday. Keep them coming. They are so filled wit healing messages for the whole world.
Thank you, Evan! I am seeing that there is a Big Difference between going out into our Day with a Loving and Healing Thought towards all – and being listed in the C.S. Journal as a Christian Science Practitioner or Healer!! The first one is something all Christians and Christian Scientists can do on a Daily basis, while the second one takes true committment, deep spiritual understanding and a willingness to take patients to Heal 24/7!! In other words, you have to know what you know in order to demonstrate C.S. Healing for both yourself as well as for others, and we generally don’t work to heal others unless they have specifically asked for Treatment, as Mrs. Eddy makes so clear in her writings. Yes, we can all be Healers in our own ways, but to call oneself a Christian Science Practitioner and/or to be listed in the Journal, takes a depth and strength of character and spiritual understanding. It’s about producing results!!
P.S. I guess what I’m Really saying is, and to be blunt, unless one has proved that he/she can heal on a consistent basis, they shouldn’t be advertising as a C.S. Healer. Otherwise, we are just using each other as “guinea pigs”. Mrs. Eddy taught her students how to take cases and to Heal them and her students taught their students the same. Knowing how to really Heal is what sets Christian Science apart from most other Christian Religions. It’s a precious treasure that needs to be cultivated and demonstrated!!
Thanks Evan for another great message which I read this morning and has been on my mind all day.
Bevi, I think you made an interesting point about CS Practitioners about being effective and consistent Healers. I assumed that one would have met certain criteria to advertise their services in the Journal – otherwise their standards could become compromised, and those seeking healing could be disappointed.
Is there any criteria that CS Practitioners are required to adhere to?
Hi, I’m not an expert by any means, but my understanding is that to advertise in the Journal, you have to have a proven track record of helping others through prayer, and it has to be your sole profession.
There is no such requirement for practicing without a Journal listing.
At times there have been discussions about the lack of regulation of practitioners, although I don’t know if it has been discussed by the Board of Directors; I’ve just personally heard it discussed.
Evan? Is this correct?
Hi Ellen,
Yes, to be listed in the Journal one has to submit an application which includes references, as a track record, from people who that person has healed.
Thanks to everyone for your explanations, I now have a better understanding.
Excellent! Thank you so much! This clear message of healing not only ourselves but the world is beautifully and profoundly shown in the Longyear Museum’s new movie, “Follow and Rejoice.” I am appreciating more deeply the gift of Christian Science that Mrs. Eddy so lovingly and diligently worked to give to the world.
Thank you, Evan, for the wonderful words of wisdom!
Thank you Evan and all !
I think it was Saint Paul who said,
“Physician, Heal Thyself.” (Am I correct?)
As Mrs. Eddy quotes Plato as saying, “What thou see-est, that thou be-est.”
(Christian Healing)
We see health in others (our “patients”)
as we see it in ourselves….
As the truth in all… health, wholeness, completeness, perfection!
:-))))
Wow! Thank you Evan for including the quote from one of Mrs. Eddy’s letters. It sure makes it clear what we must do to be a practical Christian Scientist. Your comments were helpful too. “Loving your neighbor with works is practical Christian Science.” and ” You can’t keep Christian Science to yourself and succeed.”
Your following words of wisdom especially hit home, “There is a gigantic spiritual freedom that is felt when you are free of self—not thinking about yourself, worrying about yourself, worried about tomorrow, worried about how to gain more, not to lose, etc., and are able to help others.” That is my deep desire…to be free of self. I have always been shy, which is basically self-centered. Not an honorable quality! It’s restrictive and oppressive. I have made some small progress but would love to feel the “gigantic spiritual freedom” you speak of…your blog today will help me in my efforts. Thank you so very much. (=
P.S. Maybe you could post a blog with more insight on HOW to be free of self, “not thinking about yourself, worrying about yourself, worried about tomorrow”. Thanks again!
As others have said, I love this message! I’ve had the opportunity to support others in prayer, and have found that when I do, my own growth is accelerated. I become more focused on God, and the divine Principle and Love that is All.
Sharing testimonies at Wednesday meetings is one way of helping others, and a great first step! You never know how what you share will resonate with others, and help them.
As far as praying for or treating others, of course we don’t want to treat others without being asked; but we can always treat our own thought about others. Seeing others as the perfect expression of God that they are is our right and duty! Praying to change them is not – unless asked.