The thrush and the weasel
The cry of a fledgling shrilled from a glade in the wood. With frantic eyes a thrush was staring at a hunting weasel. The bird took a few hops, then turned to stare again, helpless with terror. My intrusion broke the spell, and the bird took vigorously to the sky.
What a lesson this was not to be mesmerized by an apparent difficulty! Here was the thrush, surrounded by shelter, sunlight, and food, yet plunged into a private hell. In focusing on the weasel, the bird became incapable of reaching safety by rising to a higher level.
How often our preoccupation with a menace, accident, disease, or sin delays freedom. We stare with horror at what the senses are telling us; or we mull over the way some ailment developed, watch for changes in the physical condition , try to find a material cause. But all this peering into the eyes of the tormentor only fills up with anxiety and obscures the vision of God's ever-present goodness.
Christ Jesus always turned straight to God for healing. When restoring Lazarus to life, Jesus "lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me." n1
n1 John 11:41
Does the refusal to become immersed in a problem mean we are not taking it seriously, that we are lacking compassion for the world's sorrows and those of afflicted friends? It doesn't. If we are faithful in bringing healing through God's power to the troubles that confront us every day, we will find our lives full of exhilarating challenges that can be met, instead of disappointing setbacks.
We cannot look up to God without perceiving that He is omnipotent Spirit, and that therefore His creation, including man, must be spiritual. In fact our real and only identity is the expression of His qualities. Our eternal being is not a physical organism. As we understand and prove this fact, we will find ourselves increasingly beyond the reach of danger, in the same way that the thrush was when he used his natural ability to fly.
The Bible teaches man's spiritual sonship with God and tells how people proved that sonship. Some were unharmed by fire, storms, and dangerous animals. From others physical disorders vanished. We can set about proving our sonship too, with the help of the Bible and the Christian Science textbook.
Mary Baker Eddy discovered the Science of Christianity after many years of Bible study, begun in the home of her parents, and of living the deep truths of Christianity. She came to realize that God's creation can never be less than spiritual and perfect, and she proved this by healing and teaching others to heal. She writes in that textbook -- Science and Health with Key to the Scripturesm -- "Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts." n2
n2 Science and Health,m p. 261;
Most of us wish that the happiness of others as well as our own could be improved. Can we, by affirming the omnipotence of our loving Father-Mother God, pray effectively for the world? Mrs. Eddy assures us that we can. She says: "Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort. And not only yourselves are safe, but all whom your thoughts rest upon are thereby benefited." n3
n3 The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany,m p. 210.
Many of us must have felt the healing joy of another's closeness to God. We contribute our own influence for good whenever a preoccupation with "weasels" (danger and destruction) is replaced by a consciousness lifted with gratitude to the ever-present God. DAILY BIBLE VERSE Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. . . . But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Psalms 3:1-4
