Show and tell

A friend of mine recently reminded me that in writing, the law is “show don’t tell!” I was grateful for that reminder because I’m new to writing and I’m always looking for ways to grow and make my writing better. Then a day later, it hit me: “show don’t tell” is the key to everything I love.

I remember when a friend of mine called for help when she had a migraine headache. She said she didn’t even know if she believed in God, but she yearned to learn more about Christian Science healing. I said, “Don’t worry about what you believe, God loves you, and God knows exacly who you are and what you need. I’ll pray with you and we can both expect healing.”

To a new comer, wouldn’t results matter more than words? I think so. Results do matter. They aren’t everything, but when seeking an answer, it feels much better to be shown, not told.

I’m grateful to say, she called me the next day and said the migraine was healed within minutes. She also said she felt a peace that was indescribable, and she honestly felt that it must have been a clear sense of God’s love for her.

This is why Christian Science is important to me — because it brings immediate results! And honestly, if healing wasn’t tied to the ministry of Christian Science I would rather do other things with my time. But learning to see that healing is inextricably tied to the practice of Christian Science, defined in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, is wonderfully reassuring to me.

 A musician demonstrates the beauty of the music he teaches in order to show the learner the way by practice as well as precept. Jesus’ teaching and practice of Truth involved such a sacrifice as makes us admit its Principle to be Love.
— Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p.26

And on the flip side, I’ve even experienced healing when it wasn’t immediate (here is an experience I wrote about in the Christian Science Sentinel).  And even though there appeared to be a delay in healing, it wasn’t dA color wheel shows an artist what colors to mix together to get a desired secondary or tertiary color.elayed at all. Everyday I improved. I learned more about my unbreakable goodness derived from God, divine Love. Even though I couldn’t see healing with my eyes, I feel the effects of whatl I was learning. I also worked at understanding patience. My patience was fostered by a confidence in the fact that Christian Science brings healing. In fact the definition of confidence is, in part, “is the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.” This is exactly what I continue to feel — I can rely on Christian Science to give me a greater understanding of God’s goodness and unopposed power, whenever and where ever I am in need.

 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

—Psalm 25:4-6

Confidence, trust, and practice are important in learning and understanding new ideas. For example, when I learned about color theory in college, I trusted my professors lessons and examples. I also learned to practice the color principles by playing with color paper and paints. Through that process I learned that no could tell me exactly how color, or color relationships work. I needed to see it for myself. But the more I played with paint and mixed colors, placed colors side by side, I learned which colors work well with which, and how colors affect one another.  As I’ve moved forward in life, the more I worked and played with color in school and professionally, the more my understanding of color gelled. 

Here’s a fun example of color relationships, something you have to see to believe. In the squares to the right, most likely the orange circle on the left, surrounded by red, looks different from the orange circle on the right surrounded by green. In fact, the orange cirlces probably look like two different colors, but they are in fact the same color. Josef Albers. “INTERACTION OF COLOR.” Yale University Press, 1963.This is an optical illusion brought on by how the orange relates to the surrounding colors and how your eye perceives each color relationship. Again, you have to see it.

In the practice of Christian Science, I’ve learned that I must work at listening, trusting, and practicing. The concepts that are taught by the Pastor of Christian Science, the Bible and Science and Health, are practical and can be used to improve health, abilities, morals/ethics, financial stability, home life, or any thing that needs healing. The healing results you experience — from the removal of colds and  cancer, to the healing of allergies and broken bones — that come through putting spiritual concepts into pactice, illustrate the eternal harmony that is forever yours, coming from knowing and trusting the allness of good, Spirit. 

In short, seeing is believing.

Persistence, lime juice, and progress

New experiences can be difficult. And if you’ve ever grappled with a healing that takes a while it may feel even harder. The good news is that progress is unavoidable — progress is a law of God.

Recently I found myself wrestling with a prolonged healing.  I knew for sure that I was learning new things. I have experienced healing over and over through Christian Science, and I’ve helped many others find healing, as well. Yet I found myself asking, “What am I learning? Am I making progress?” One night around this time my wife and I were making guacamole which requires lime juice. The two limes I bought for this purpose seemed very dry. I was tempted to drive to the store and buy two new limes. Instead, I decided to get to work. I rolled up my sleeves and really gave ‘em a squeeze! Amazingly, the limes had plenty of juice and it was enough to really give the guacamole some zing. 

What’s the connection?  

• Embrace the opportunity to get to know God better through persistent prayer. Squeeze the opportunity for all it is worth and trust that much more good will come of it, rather than giving up.
• If healing appears to take a while, hold on and be patient. Look for what is being learned, the good that is taking place, and be diligent in recording what you’re learning about God.  
• Understand that the physical senses often present the suggestion of lack, and accompanying lack comes doubt, and/or self-doubt. Also, be clear that you can never judge if healing is taking place based on what the physical senses. When relying on Christian Science love, joy, and peace are more powerful way-markers. 
• Easily replacing the doubt and fear which accompanies lack, is the infinitude and omnipotence of divine Principle, Love, who gives us strength and courage, and the wisdom to push on and expect complete healing. 
• Christian Science shows clearly that all progress is spiritually discerned, because all improvement and healing takes place in thought, through the healing power of divine Mind. When the healing takes place mentally, the body naturally comes into alignment with corrected thinking. 

Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
— Genesis 32:24-30

Whoever would demonstrate the healing of Christian Science must abide strictly by its rules, heed every statement, and advance from the rudiments laid down. There is nothing difficult nor toilsome in this task, when the way is pointed out; but self-denial, sincerity, Christianity, and persistence alone win the prize, as they usually do in every department of life.
— Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p.462:13