My new friend at church

Thanks, Cindy!

I love what you said, Pam, about really being a Christian Scientist in every moment and in every situation. I have been endeavoring to love each and every individual I meet, and that has brought smiles and good will, but it isn’t the same as viewing all as a Christian Scientist, is it? Human love, however good and well intentioned, isn’t divine Love. It still sees flaws and makes one better than another. Divine Love sees each as its own beautiful whole and good creation, having all it needs at every moment.

One Sunday we found a man sleeping behind our church. He ventured in to the church just as the service had ended. Here was an opportunity to see him as Love created him. He appeared dirty, drunk, and incoherent. But Love didn’t see him that way, so I sat down with him and we chatted for over an hour. He told me he didn’t see any reason to live, that he was a miserable alcoholic and didn’t think God wanted him to live since he had taken a life while on military duty in Kuwait. He had been living outside for four years, including outside during our epic snowy winter this year. He didn’t understand why he was surviving. As we chatted I shared with him that he was loved, that God wanted him to thrive, not just survive, that he had a divine purpose. We shared laughter, tears, and a kindred sense of purpose. I gave him a Science and Health and asked him to read it. He was grateful for it.

Each time I thought of my new friend during the week, I would recognize his innocence and dominion and purpose. This Sunday, he came to church. When he came in, he was drunk, but Love doesn’t see that, does it? He sat in the back with tears in his eyes. After church, we chatted again and he was sober. He said he felt good here at church, had read some of Science and Health and asked me what he should do after church. The words popped out that he had a purpose and could go do some thing good for someone. Smiling broadly, he said he would and went his way.

I don’t know if he got as much as I did from our exchanges. I got to see beyond the mental picture of a homeless man to see the integrity, humility and love of this idea of God. Being a Christian Scientist is pretty fantastic, I’d say.