Let the light shine

Last week I visited a Christian Scientist who is staying at a nursing home in my home town. When I was checking into the facility, the manager of the complex asked me if I would come to their next in-service meeting to introduce Christian Science to her staff. I agreed, not knowing what she wanted me to say or for how long.

At 1 p.m. last Monday, I showed up at their meeting expecting to speak with 3 to 5 people. The living room was filled with over 20 nurses and staff! I was so surprised, but delighted for the opportunity to share my faith.

The first question I asked was, “How many of you have ever heard of Christian Science?” Two people timidly raised their hands. The rest were clueless. And one of the women who raised her hand asked if we were Tom Cruises’ religion—Scientology! I assured her we were not.

Wow…no one, for the most part, had even an inkling that a religion called Christian Science existed. This was good from the point of view that there were no negative views I had to deal with. But it was a crime, from the perspective of how obscure Christian Science has become to a large part of our society. This needs to change…

I explained some basic teachings of Christian Science along with its emphasis on the power of prayer to heal not only emotional and mental troubles, but physical ailments too.

There were many “What if…” questions that needed to be addressed.

“What if he falls and breaks his head open, and bleeds all over…?” types of concerns were voiced. I encouraged them to trust their judgments and do whatever seemed wisest under the circumstances they were facing. Their fears rapidly melted on that score.

In the middle of the “What if...?” questions, I took a moment to reassure them of the power of prayer to heal and to trust this man’s prayers. I even prompted them, depending upon where their comfort zone was in discussing spirituality, to encourage this resident in a prayerful direction when there were issues that needed to be worked out.

One nurse asked what I would do if I had a cold. Would I take medicines, or change my diet, or drink lots of water,...or do a number of other material options she listed. I told her I would do none of those things, for prayer brings a much faster and better result. Her eyes got big. She was surprised to hear such an answer, and looked a bit incredulous that prayer was a viable possibility. She was very courteous and not disrespectful at all. In fact, the whole group was very sincere, very respectful and thoughtful during the 20 minutes or so I was able to speak with them.

I left feeling good about the meeting and grateful for the opportunity to share.

Today, the daughter of the resident at this facility visited her dad. During her time there, a couple of nurses came into the room where she was sitting, and mentioned how helpful the talk on Christian Science had been, which was nice for her to hear. But even more interesting was what followed.

During the visit, one of the nurses was working with her dad, and at one point he got a bit difficult to converse with on a subject that was bothering him. The nurse tried all the human options she could think of to settle his problem, but to no avail. Finally she piped up, “You could pray to God for a solution!” He acted a bit startled, but immediately responded, and that was the end of the trouble.

I was so happy to hear about the willingness of this nurse to step out of her comfort zone, perhaps, and encourage this man in his spiritual path.

People warm up to Christian Science when they learn the truth about it. It is such a pure teaching full of incredible hope and promise. It might take baby step after baby step to reach its full potential, but the journey is worth the travel and the effort is worth the reward.

I’m grateful for the opportunity that arose to share what I believe in this week with those nurses.

Jesus told us to let our light shine. As I learned at that meeting, though, it needs to shine brighter and with fewer “bushels” placed over the flame, for there are way too many people out there who have never heard about Christian Science. That empty void of knowledge needs to be filled.

Benefits of sharing Christian Science

There is an exhilarating power that builds within when one shares Christian Science freely with neighbors.

Last Friday, I spoke at a Seventh Day Adventist college to a comparative religions class about Christian Science. I was well received and eagerly embraced by a class of sixteen students who drilled me on my practice of this teaching.

I thrive on answering questions, and the questions came.

They asked

• Do you believe in Satan?
• Is there an afterlife?
• If Christ is Truth, then how can people who don’t know Christ find Truth?
• If matter isn’t real, why go to the mountains to vacation?
• What if someone dies when you are praying for them?
• What about hell?
• How do you pray?
• Do you believe in baptism?

And the questions went on and on… It was easy to fill the time, and they sent me off with a healthy round of applause. All but one student took a copy of Science and Health. I hope to return next year.

These types of opportunities to share inspire me for days. I forget about myself when giving, tune into God and listen for answers that enlighten my audience. I feel healthier and happier afterward, confident that a good deed was done. I bounce out of the classroom ready to do it all again.

Christian Science can be like a bottle of perfume. The cap on the bottle needs to be opened, and a little of the scent released to be of good effect in the surrounding environment. Sealed in the jar it’s of no use to anyone. In super concentrated form, it’s too powerful to enjoy. It needs to be released. Then its delicious odor has a chance to be appreciated.

There’s a lesson here for each of us. If a student of Christian Science, we cannot keep it to ourselves and receive the full blessing it is capable of bringing into our experience. Much of the blessing comes from sharing it freely and joyfully with our neighbor.

Yes, we need to share with understanding, but the understanding comes as the desire is nurtured. Practice finds the right words and discovers the helpful examples that illustrate the point we’re making.

“Preach the gospel to the world,” commanded Jesus. He didn’t say, “If you get around to it,” or “If you want to…” He instructed, “Preach the gospel!”

I can see from experience that orally ministering to others is not only to spread the Word, but to benefit ourselves. We grow in the offering. Preaching is for the giver and the receiver.

So, don’t hold back. Welcome any opportunity to share Christian Science. Your audience will be blessed and you will be too!