My assigned
chore recently was pruning back the rose bushes surrounding our home. How
beautiful the roses are with their vibrant colors, their red and pink faces shining
delicately out from the dark green
leaves, lovely to look at as they gently share their fragrance and loveliness.
As I worked
carefully among the branches an interesting
thought came to me. The roses display their beauty confidently and don't
seem inclined to try to convince the other flowers to be just like them. They grow alongside the other flowers around
our home without comment, without competition, without criticism, without
bragging or gloating.
I suppose
these thoughts may have been triggered by a recent encounter where a gentleman
was trying to convince me to embrace his religious thought. While there was no specific criticism of my
own religious understanding or my view of God and Life, it was pretty obvious from
the stern looks and rather harsh warnings about God’s wrath and my obvious unwillingness
to understand that God punishes people like me, revealed a contempt for my “obvious ignorance” and
misguided faith and understanding.
The
experience sort of shocked me, made me wonder, Have I done the same
thing from time to time? Surely not as harshly or pointedly,
accompanied by the stern looks and sense of
judgement that I was receiving this day, but have I been so
judgmental? Being convinced of the truth and simple
logic that Jesus revealed in his teachings and as taught in Christian
Science, and
because of wanting to share the wonderful healing effects realized by my
family
and myself over the years through the application of those truths, I
admit I may
have been tempted to spend time convincing others of how wonderful it
is.
But on this day, marveling at the beauty of the rose, I remembered Mary Baker Eddy's counsel that: " No reproof is so potent as the silent lesson of a good example. Works, more than words, should characterize Christian Scientists. Most people condemn evil-doing,evil-speaking; yet nothing circulates so rapidly: even gold is less current." (1)
But on this day, marveling at the beauty of the rose, I remembered Mary Baker Eddy's counsel that: " No reproof is so potent as the silent lesson of a good example. Works, more than words, should characterize Christian Scientists. Most people condemn evil-doing,evil-speaking; yet nothing circulates so rapidly: even gold is less current." (1)
I thought how silly it would be for that Rose to bend down to the beautiful Daylily to convince her to become a Rose, maybe something like this:
“Well, yes Dear,
you would have a few thorns but everyone would want to take you home and put
you in a vase. We roses are wonderful!! We make lovely gifts for birthdays,
anniversaries and are especially helpful to a young man courting a young lady!!
I
expect we are responsible for many hugs!! We are God's favorites!”
No indeed, the roses seemed very content to glow their particular splendor
in the midst of the variety of other fauna.
No conversion speeches needed!! Just by
being there, sharing their lovely fragrance and delicate beauty, glorying in the sunshine, swaying in the
gentle breeze, seemed to be quite enough to keep the Roses happy. I could see and feel that simply by “Being”
they were uplifting and demonstrating God’s presence as “all harmonious”.
It is
believed that roses have been around for over 35 million years, according to
fossil evidence. Maybe they have lasted
that long by minding their own business, fulfilling their life purpose just by being splendid and appealing.
 |
| Matthew 5 |
That realization
convinced me that it would be sufficient
for me, too, to just do my very best to demonstrate the qualities that I
am
trying to live, those same qualities we find in the Beatitudes:
humility, love, mercy, purity, tenderness, peace and righteous and
let the observer judge whether that is
something worthy of emulating. I have found it is difficult enough to do
that
without also trying to drag reluctant others along.
The Bible tells us there are a diversity of gifts, some teachers, some preachers, some prophets, some wise, some interpreters, and so on. (2) Apparently we can all do whatever we are called to do. There may be others on the human scene that are better looking, wealthier, more talented, more spiritual, funnier , better educated. But for each there is opportunity to be “the rose” in their own garden of life.
The Bible tells us there are a diversity of gifts, some teachers, some preachers, some prophets, some wise, some interpreters, and so on. (2) Apparently we can all do whatever we are called to do. There may be others on the human scene that are better looking, wealthier, more talented, more spiritual, funnier , better educated. But for each there is opportunity to be “the rose” in their own garden of life.
In his
rounds, Jesus of Nazareth walked through the countryside and was available to
teach and preach. But the most fascinating thing about Jesus was that he
demonstrated more than he talked. He
didn’t get on a platform and threaten people to listen, to change or to follow
him. He proclaimed that “ behold, the
kingdom of God is within you.” (3)
His acts of healing, uplifting and supporting were so much more compelling than words could be. Although his Beatitudes contained in the Sermon on the Mount provided such wonderful inspiration, it would have been all for naught if he wasn't actually demonstrating the truth that he taught. In humility, meekness and purity, he gently demonstrated the healing effect of his understanding of God, and taught his disciples to do so as well.
In her Bible
companion book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, religious pioneer Mary Baker Eddy
writes:
“Love, redolent with
unselfishness, bathes all in beauty and light. The grass beneath our feet
silently exclaims, “The meek shall inherit the earth.” The modest arbutus
sends her sweet breath to heaven. The great rock gives shadow and
shelter. The sunlight glints from the church-dome, glances into the prison-cell,
glides into the sick-chamber, brightens the flower, beautifies the landscape,
blesses the earth. Man, made in His likeness, possesses and reflects
God’s dominion over all the earth. Man and woman as coexistent and eternal
with God forever reflect, in glorified quality, the infinite Father-Mother God.”
As we follow
the spirit of Jesus’ Beatitudes, we can trust others to God’s loving care.
Jesus said: “Follow
me.”
(1) Miscellaneous Writings .. page 126
(1) Miscellaneous Writings .. page 126
(2) I Corinthians 12:
(3) Luke 17:12
(4) Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures 516
