Today as we work, let’s challenge the temptations to believe the imprints of mortal mind.
Consciousness, not matter, comprises our experience. As students of the Christ Science, we continually recognize that we are responsible for what we think, and for what we accept as our thinking, or consciousness.
It’s so important, then, for us to be always alert as to what we are taking in from world thought that is not conducive to health and harmony. It has, perhaps, never been more important to guard our thought because, if it really had any power, the carnal or mortal mind seems to have many ways to foist its suggestions towards us. Literally every second in some way we are in the position of choosing what we read in unwelcome emails, or advertising, or hear in conversations with others, or or or.
Thoughts not our own present themselves as our own, and we are very apt to take then into thought until we realize, ” Hey, I didn’t think that! I wouldn’t think that way.” Then sometimes it can even be a challenge to remove thoughts not our own from our own thought!
Once, a man who took care of a toucan,- a very large beautiful bird from the wilds of Africa,- in a wildlife sanctuary, told me that this bird only responded to men because the individual who had stolen it from its nest was literally a man. This, he explained, is called imprinting. And is natural to birds in the wild.
However this wrong, unnatural imprinting prevented this bird from living in normal safety and protected environs. It obviously made wrong connections which had a harmful influence. Fortunately it was rescued and lived in a bird sanctuary.
I found this really significant, and drawing from this idea, am reminded to be alert to realize we are not birds! We are able to guard and protect our thoughts! We must be aware how we see and what we accept. We don’t need to imprint, for example, on thoughts that would cause or allow us harm, limitation, worry, or helplessness in any form.
Instead we are taught through Christian Science to be discerning, to weigh our thoughts to determine if they are true, worthy, based on what is real according to God, the one only Mind. Or unworthy.
And to learn to keep our consciousness purely good, in accordance with the level of spiritual understanding that Jesus lived and demonstrated This spiritual understanding Mrs. Eddy identified for us as the Christ consciousness. And it is our real thinking, for as ideas of God, we are one with the same Mind that Christ Jesus expressed in every detail of his life.
We are so blessed to have the immeasurable guidance
of the luminaries in the Bible, and others after them, who have lived and known and felt and recognized, and been influenced by, only the love of God in their lives, even in times of trial.
They give us the courage and the conviction that we need never imprint on thoughts we would not think, false information, fears, or worries. Through our own steady spiritual progress, we discipline consciousness to know we are one with the divine Mind. To the degree that we do this, we are benefited, and our world makes progress toward greater clearer good, not just for ourselves, but for all, everywhere. Our disciplined choices are essential for the world!
And we are assured that we can alertly, and even reverently trust that what is right and good is being shown to us. Then we know we are always safe. Always well. Always clear in thought. Always loved. Every good gift (every good and true and real thought) is from God. Nothing can ever make us believe otherwise.