Recently I had an experience that showed me how easy and natural it can be to share what we love. (sorry this is so long…..read it in chapters!!)
I had time for a lunch break one afternoon before an appointment at an office building near me. But first of all I wanted a BLT sandwich! I thought of all my options where I could find one. Fortunately, I’d been praying all morning, and soon realized I could not set aside my prayer for two hours while I wandered around after food. So I began to listen for what would be the right step for my day. Soon it wasn’t about the food, but about receptivity to what was right.
Gently, the thought came that very near my appointment was a little cafe. I saw the logic to this more rational reasonable choice, set aside my willfulness for a willingness to respond to intelligent activity and went to the café, ordered my sandwich and settled into a sliver of sunshine outside on a picnic table.
Sitting, eating, and reading an article from JSH, I was feeling Love’s provision for all of us, and I became aware I had way too many really good sweet potato fries! They really should be shared. This deeply sincere thought included a conscious appreciation of the effort that had gone into making these fries. How silly it was for someone else not to enjoy them.
As I turned back to my reading, to my complete surprise, a young man, probably twenty-something, quietly slipped onto the bench across from me, sharing my sliver of sunshine. He had a small bag of donut holes and a container of some pink-flavored milk.
With the sweetest face and gentlest manner, he look at my fries and said “What are those?” And I very naturally said “Those are sweet potato fries.” “Are they good?” I said, “They’re really good. Have some.” And I moved the dish of fries towards him.
He took some and said, so sincerely, “Thank you so much.” And for the next fifteen minutes or so, we exchanged how our day was going, that he was going to take the bus in a little while to perhaps an assisted living care place. We had a lovely congenial time, all based on our sharing what we were both enjoying.
Pretty soon I said, “I have an appointment. Would you like me to have these boxed up for you?” He said “Could I just sit here and enjoy these, and return the plate when I’m through?” Of course. And I left him sitting in the sun enjoying our very special sweet potato fries.
This experience has moved me in many directions.
I began to equate it with our willingness, not willfulness, to be responsive to be where we need to be in order to love, and as appropriately, as we can, meet the needs of others. I realized that what we, as Christian Scientists share, besides food (!) is a natural love for God as explained in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.
Mary Baker Eddy wrote the book to be shared. Our love for it, and our willingness to be obedient, will give us the opportunities to share what she knew could change the world.
She wrote it to share it. She wrote it knowing the world would come to what she loved. And valued. And she did everything in her life to provide that this book be shared with the receptive heart. Ww have an essential part in tbis.
I think we need to challenge the temptation to stay home and just read the book ourselves. Which would’ve been like me eating my french fries alone. I must say those french fries tasted so much better and were so much more fun when shared with my young friend.
I noted that I didn’t have to go out and find somebody who needed sweet potato fries, put them in a bag and walk up and down the street trying to find them a home. I had to be obedient to be where I belonged.
I had to have a conscious thought there was something here that could be shared. I realized none of this would’ve happened had I been disobedient to my first selfish lunch desire In fact it was good to be out in a public setting with something of value to share.
I didn’t make the mistake of thinking I owned the french fries, or that they were my personal possession. The cook knew they were good. He didn’t know where his offering was going. He simply valued and enjoyed the preparation and made it available.
I realized they were worthy of sharing. But they weren’t my possession. Science and Health is worthy of sharing. But it’s not our personal possession. It was written by someone who loved what she discovered and wanted to share with receptive hearts, everywhere.
One of the things I’ve also learned from this experience is that those who need what Love can provide them can come right to us if our love welcomes them. Without judgment. Without fear. Without deciding if someone’s worth it. Or if someone’s good enough.
When I told my Sunday school students about this experience, one of them said, “You were right where you were meant to be to share with that young man.” He is right.
And I recognize that’s how I want to live, – to be right where I need to be to share something that I love so very much – which of course is going to be the healing truth, which gives us the life we love. Someone who loved or valued or knew of this Science of Christianity shared it with us. The author of the book expected us to repeat the activity.
So sitting in the sun, we can enjoy what we love so much, and folks will be drawn to the light and the love we’re willing to share.