PSST– Accept Mind’s gift of understanding all things!
Sunday, February 12th, 2023
By Merrill Boudreaux, CS -- St. Louis MO
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PSST — Accept Mind’s gift of understanding all things! *
Possible Sunday School Topics (PSST) for The Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson:
“Mind”
for February 13-19, 2023
prepared by Merrill Boudreaux, C.S., for CedarS Camps
pegasus6524@gmail.com • 314-308-1059
P.S.S.T. Golden Text (GT) “…may the Lord give you understanding in all things.”* (II Timothy 2:7, New King James version, NKJV)
*Consider accepting a Downloadable example for yourself in any testing time. webpage below
When you think about Mind, what are some qualities, characteristics, synonyms that come to thought? The Golden Text prominently mentions one – understanding. Perhaps we can add to that: inspiration, clarity, improvisation, knowledge, wisdom,… among others. Notice that in no case are we to think of Mind as a pulpy substance like the brain, a material thing. Anchor your opening conversation with a review of the question and answer, “What is Mind?” in Science & Health (SH) 469:12.
What stands out to you in reading this statement?
What questions does this statement raise for you?
Where do you fit into this statement? How many Minds are there?
Responsive Reading (RR)/Job 28:12,14-16,20,23,28, & Proverbs 2:3-6
How do you answer the question posed in the opening of the RR, “…where shall wisdom be found?” Is wisdom in a place far, far away, in another world, at a distant place/time in the future? Or is wisdom here, now, yours, ever available? How do you tap into that wisdom and take hold of it? Perhaps one idea is to embrace and cultivate stillness.
Ask the class to be fully still for one minute.
What did they “hear or observe”?
Now think in terms of this being a daily activity and for more than one minute. Perhaps go into that stillness with a question to which you desire an answer.
Perhaps your students have already had such an experience and are willing to share. Review the Bible story of the disciples at Pentecost in Acts 2.
Pay attention to the words: “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”
What was the result in this story of the disciples receiving wisdom?
P.S.S.T. Section 1 –
See a possible answer in citation B2/Romans 11:33: “depth”. How deep are you willing to go to get answers to your questions?
Do you desire the “riches” that come from such search?
What do these riches look like? Far better than gold, than fine gold.
Note in citations S3 & S4 some characteristics of Mind as wisdom: Justice, mercy, wisdom, goodness, intelligence, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence (cit. S3/465:14; cit. S4/469:8).
P.S.S.T. Section 2 – What is the promise to you from Mind, God, in citation B5/Proverbs 3:5,6? The result, “…he shall direct thy paths.”
In this section is a story of Solomon, considered a wise king. (cit. B6/1st Kings 3:5-12) Might we also consider him a humble king? Why?
He understood that he could do nothing on his own, but he could do all things through Mind, God.
What do your students know of Solomon and some of his wise acts?
Paul also understood this when writing to the Philippians in Phil.4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil.4:13).
You also can be one with “access to broader and higher realms …into your native air of insight and perspicacity” (cit. S11/128:11). *[Consider accepting Warren’s Downloadable, online example of this for yourself. Go to the bottom of the webpage for a Download.]
P.S.S.T. Section 3 – A natural outcome of knowledge and understanding is love for one’s neighbor, very much like Solomon did when making a decision as to who was the rightful mother of a child claimed by two different women. You can feel the love and compassion he showed in I Kings 3:16-28.
P.S.S.T. Section 4 – Jesus, as the Way-shower, was not afraid in the midst of an opposite belief that there existed more than one Mind. He saw through that claim and restored the man of the Gadarenes in citation B10/Luke 8. The result of Jesus’ humility led to the strength of wisdom, and resulted in the man being “clothed and in his right mind.” The key to this healing is that Jesus never beheld anything but the man in his right mind, the man as reflection with nothing that needed to be fixed. See how Mary Baker Eddy states it in citation S18/476:32-4.
Jesus often asked persons who came to him for healing, “What do you want?” “What do you desire of me?” Is it that where they saw sickness, pain, misery, blindness, even death, Jesus saw none of it. He only saw perfection, reflection of the One, supreme, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Mind? You are, as a Christian Scientist, able to destroy error as you understand that all is Mind and Mind’s idea.
P.S.S.T. Section 5 – What qualities of humility are identified in citation B12/Ephesians 4? Lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, peace.
Have you ever accomplished some great activity, and when you were praised you felt that you really had accomplished it because you tapped into a force bigger and stronger than yourself?
Have you ever felt humility at that moment, followed immediately by gratitude?
Notice what Peter did when Cornelius fell down at his feet, worshipping him because of what he had heard of Peter’s ability, in the story in citation B13/Acts 10. Peter can serve as a role model for us in his expression of humility. It is easy to be humble when acknowledging that all comes from the One Mind.
See Mary Baker Eddy’s statement to us in citation S23/467:9, “It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love.”
Read together a tenet of Christian Science in citation S27/492:24: “And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.”
P.S.S.T. Section 6 – What is the blessing for you and your students stated in citation B16/II Corinthians 13:11, “Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you”?
Because we all have one Mind, God, the same Father-Mother, we are brethren. All are included. No one is left out. Bless you all.
