Decisions
May 27, 1999
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
As noted last week, our topic arose from the struggle one member was having with a decision over whether to take a new job being offered to him. He chaired the meeting this week and told us how he resolved this problem. His initial reaction to the offer was to turn it down, based on fears of hurt feelings on the part of the one replaced and perhaps some dissension among clients. As he prayed in Science he came to see that Principle must rule, not personal sense. He was drawn to look at the page noted above in A Course In Miracles; he read some of it to us. It describes a method of bringing mortal mind to such a state of stymie that the divine Mind is allowed to hold sway. As he let this happen, his early feelings reversed completely and he is now quite secure in deciding to go forward with the new job. As regards the others he worried about, he sees that "..whatever blesses one blesses all," (Science and Health, p. 206: 15-18).
As we took on the topic last week, most of us knew, perhaps without knowing quite why, that decision-making in Christian Science can be a rewarding exercise. It involves letting the reins by which we personally control our lives be taken over by God. A member warned us here not to see this in light of old theology. He amplified the idea of turning a decision over to God as practicing the presence and power of God, or one Mind, perfect Spirit, infinite Soul, all-ruling Principle and so on. He saw the definite need to adhere to righteous judgment — i. e., the divinity of all involved.
A member informed us that the word decision comes from two Latin words meaning "to cut off". Typically one selects a course of action from among various possibilities, cutting off the rest. Other members said: "I wouldn't want to be cut off in 'the atheism of matter,'" (see Science and Health, p. 580: 27). "To make a decision in the light of Christian Science is to cut the whole process off from mortal speculations, letting motives and action flow from the spiritual perspective alone."
Several specialized usages of the word decision came up. Fundamentalists often speak of a "decision for Christ" For a student of Christian Science perhaps this would mean a determination to live the divine-human coincidence. Some people, including an e mail visitor, imply that Gay folks have made a decision to be Gay. That hardly feels correct to those of us who are, but perhaps we should not let this decision be made by mortal mind — either our own version of it or someone else's — but let it proceed, like the decision in the court case in Science and Health, from the Court of Spirit, not that premised on error (see Science and Health, p. 434: 8-11).
Here are some experiences of members with our topic during the week:
- One member owns real estate together with eight others. A quick decision was needed on an offer to buy the property. He had his own perspective of course, and aired his wishes freely, but this did not hinder his constantly turning the whole transaction over to God. He saw other owners, possible buyers. prospective end-users, even government and tax authorities as reflections of the One Reality — the One I or Us, fully satisfied with its own perfection.
- Another member who had a singing gig in a New York bar a few weeks back was desiring another show. As he prayed about this, realizing the essential divine forces operating in and as such an event, he was approached by the bar's proprietors to hold another show. They said the last one was their most successful entertainment event ever.
- Another member described the way she basically never makes a decision until she just has to. If it's something important she'll talk about it to everyone available, and not necessarily in a Science vein. Then when the decision must be made she clears her thought and waits for divine Mind to indicate the way. She says she has never been disappointed when she has proceeded on this manner. She described briefly two big demonstrations in the past using this method — one in change of employment and the other to do with dealings with a government agency.
- We had school board elections here in New York recently. A number of the candidates are openly Gay and one of our members of course voted for them and others who are supportive of the sanctity and security of Gay students. As he headed for the polls he did the necessary work to know that he was voting for man as the reflection of God, not mortals. Whoever wins has no choice but to act in accordance with divine Principle.
- A couple of members worked together to experience a broader sense of life purpose by living their individual work assignments as reflection, not as mortals seeking something. When Jesus said to Peter, "On this rock I'll found my church" he was using two different words, thus: "Petros [Little rock or pebble] on this Petra [Bedrock] I'll found my church." They'll let the Ego be the only ego; the macro be the only micro.
- A member heard a debate between those favoring teaching tolerance for Gay kids in the schools versus those calling themselves Christian and dead set against it. The Gay side included Prof. Botstein of Bard College who wrote such an interesting article about the plight of all high school students in the Christian Science Monitor a week or so ago. We're sure everyone reading this could write the script for this exchange, so we won't set out too much of it here, but near the end one of the exasperated Christians said, "Why should we agree to teach tolerance for a wicked behavior when you would never agree to teach Christianity in the schools!" Dear Dr. Botstein said in effect, "I'm a Jew but I would love to have the elements of Christianity taught in the schools along with all sorts of religious belief and ethnic practices. The point here, as with homosexuality, is not to promote but to inform, to facilitate understanding and tolerance." Our member saw the wonderful possibilities of building more than just a tolerant society but one that encourages curiosity as to how different people see and work out the fundaments of Being. Why not teach Jewish children how to translate Catholic beliefs into their own religious symbols or Gay kids how their heterosexual counterparts live the same search for completeness and joy they are living.
For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
The point for each one to decide is, whether it is mortal mind or immortal Mind that is causative.
Your decisions will master you, whichever direction they take.
Reversing the testimony of Personal Sense and the decrees of the Court of Error in favor of Matter, Spirit decides in favor of Man and against Matter.
Before deciding that the body, matter, is disordered, one should ask, "Who art thou that repliest to Spirit?
As human thought changes from one stage to another of conscious pain and painlessness, sorrow and joy,—from fear to hope and from faith to understanding,—the visible manifestation will at last be man governed by Soul, not by material sense. Reflecting God's government, man is self-governed.
God is the fountain of light, and He illumines one's way when one is obedient. The disobedient make their moves before God makes His, or make them too late to follow Him. Be sure that God directs your way; then, hasten to follow under every circumstance.
^Is not all argument mind over mind?^
The Scriptures refer to God as saying, "Come now, and let us reason together." There is but one right Mind, and that one should and does govern man. Any copartnership with that Mind is impossible; and the only benefit in speaking often one to another, arises from the success that one individual has with another in leading his thoughts away from the human mind or body, and guiding them with Truth. That individual is the best healer who asserts himself the least, and thus becomes a transparency for the divine Mind, who is the only physician; the divine Mind is the scientific healer.