Living under God’s government

We learn in Christian Science that God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. And since God is good, we would naturally expect His government to be good—to be fair and just, to express kindness, honesty, incorruptibility.

As the Bible puts it, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25).

So how do we experience this reality in our daily lives? We can begin by acknowledging what is true. “The starting-point of divine Science is that God, Spirit, is All-in-all, and that there is no other might nor Mind,—that God is Love, and therefore He is divine Principle,” writes Mary Baker Eddy in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. “To grasp the reality and order of being in its Science, you must begin by reckoning God as the divine Principle of all that really is” (p. 275).

I needed a higher sense of and confidence in God as infinite Love.

A recent experience showed me the importance of starting from this spiritual standpoint. I received in the mail a photo taken of our building during business hours. It said I was in violation of a village ordinance and must appear in court on a specific date to pay a fine of several hundred dollars. I went to the court and saw many other very unhappy business owners there.

When it was my turn to speak, I asked the judge if she had the power to throw out the citation, as I felt it was unjust. She said no. I requested a continuance and asked whom I needed to speak with to void the citation. I was given that information and received the continuance.

I admit that it took more than a week to get past my irritation and anger. I needed a higher sense of and confidence in God as infinite Love. I reflected on several statements from Science and Health: “The power of Christian Science and divine Love is omnipotent” (p. 412); “God is infinite, therefore ever present, and there is no other power nor presence” (p. 471); and “No power can withstand divine Love” (p. 224).

Armed with a clearer sense of Love, and confident of God’s presence, I entered the village offices and asked to speak to the appropriate people. The woman who had taken the pictures came out, along with her boss. I told them I wanted to talk about my citation, as I felt it was unjust. I also said they could expect only kindness and courtesy from me.

Armed with a clearer sense of Love, I entered the village offices and asked to speak to the appropriate people.

We spoke cordially for a few minutes, and we all agreed that the citation was unjust. The boss returned to his office to remove the citation from his database, while I spoke briefly with the woman who had taken the pictures. After a few moments she asked if I was a minister. I told her I was not an ordained minister but was currently helping to conduct services at our local Church of Christ, Scientist, as a Reader. I was happy to minister to her that day, sharing with her how much God loved her.

When her boss returned, we shook hands and I left. As I was walking to my car, the woman ran out of the building, held her hands out to me, and asked if I would pray with her. I took her hands, and then in the parking lot we shared a very special moment of prayer together.