[PYCL: Share how one divine Mind, not matter, satisfies… and is in control.]
CedarS PYCLs–Possible Younger Class Lessons for:
“Mind”
The Christian Science Bible Lesson for August 25, 2013
by Kerry Jenkins, CS, House Springs, MO (314) 406-0041
[bracketed inserts by Warren Huff]
[PYCL 1: Continue our synonym adventure with Mind & Moses’ coexistence with Mind!]
Our synonym adventure continues with Mind! Again, you can ask some questions about what makes Mind a unique way to think about God? How does the Bible shine a light on Mind as God? To answer that question you don't have to look any farther than the first story in the lesson about Moses. He exhibits all the symptoms of thinking that somehow he has a separate existence and mind from God and that God has set him a task beyond his ability. He tells God that he really can't do the job. And what does God say? Well, He asks Moses, “Who hath made man's mouth? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” Isn't this a statement of the fact that Mind is our mind – that we do not have to rely on a limited concept of mind as contained in our body and capable of a limited number of things? Mrs. Eddy makes it clear that we need to educate our concept of our own mind, mortal mind, in order to help it “grow out of itself,” (S11) So, we need an education, and we need to make an effort to understand and expand our thought; we don't just sit back and wait for Mind to fill us up. But generally, we tend to spend a lot of time thinking we are personally responsible for everything, that we have a limited ability to do a limited number of things, when, in fact, we could really spend more time prayerfully acknowledging our “coexistence” (S2) with God/Mind and demonstrating that fact.
[PYCL 2: All issues are healed instantly as we really reach for Christ who senses each call!]
There really is no place in the Bible that says, outright, “God loves me”. But there are many, many ways in which it is indicated through stories and compelling verse. One such verse is in Psalms 40:5 (B1). How much clearer can His love for us be stated than: “…and thy thoughts which are to us-ward; they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” His thoughts, the expression and activity of Mind dwell on us so much that they cannot be counted. That's a lot! You could discuss this verse, which a kid might just read through and not really translate or notice. Slow down and put it in modern English/your native language. Ask what might God's thoughts toward us actually be? What form might they take? Can you come up with a list of what these thoughts are? Maybe you can only start with what they are not, that's okay too. You could continue this line of thought with the story of the woman in section 5 if you wanted. This time through I noticed that one other way to see this story is as one of the Christ “seeing” you. The Christ knows, recognizes, thinks you. You are not too insignificant or too terrible. Remember that this woman was breaking a significant law of the day by mingling with the crowd. As someone with an “issue of blood”, a hemorrhage of some kind, she wasn't allowed to touch anyone. She would have lived in complete isolation. And yet the Christ, God's way of loving man, certainly recognized her and loved her right there, despite her apparent state. You can talk about how we can never be unloved or unlovable, no matter what our human “state”. So even if we've done something bad to someone, or said something bad, the Christ can still see us and bless us and lift us out of that miserable mistaken sense of being a separate mind from God. Citation B17 continues this line of reasoning as well!
[PYCL 3: Show how in each section there’s just 1 Mind in control, even remote control (6th)!]
The first section really lets the idea take front and center that there is only one Mind. This thought is then illustrated through each story in the lesson. Citation S3 clearly states that “We can have but one Mind, if that one is infinite.” It may seem obvious, but why is this a logical fact? Talk about this. Then you can look at each story as they occur in the lesson and see how they prove this fact. Moses' story shows that there is no power in the belief that there are powerful opposing minds to Mind, even when they sit on Pharaoh’s throne. Can you come up with a modern situation where it seems that a person or school or coach, or whatever, is holding all the power to determine something in your life? How can you use Moses' story to see what is really true. What do you need to do to throw down your sense of personal control (your “staff”) and allow God to determine the outcome? I think we can all agree that whatever we face, it can't be any more intimidating than going to Pharaoh and asking him to let the Children of Israel leave Egypt. Are our problems less “important” though? Hasn't God made all our paths lead to freedom? In the fourth section Jesus is accused of using the power of the devil, rather than Mind to bring healing. Isn't that another opportunity to overcome the belief that there is more than one Mind? In this case it could either be the belief in good and evil, or similarly, that there is power in opposing minds that would try to spoil the good work that Jesus was doing. (S14) In Section five, you have the story of the woman that touches Jesus' garment in the crowd. Here Jesus demonstrates that there is only one Mind by recognizing the silent call for help from this woman. Who told Jesus? How did he sense that she was calling on him? And finally we have the nobleman whose son was sick in section 6. Here is a beautiful example of one Mind communicating over distance without trouble. You can talk about how practitioners do their work. How does it bring healing even when we aren't with them or even sometimes when only our mom or dad speaks to them and we don't even get on the phone? What is at work here?
[PYCL 4: Directly address the fear of forgetting! Know infinite Mind is always in operation!]
The last section is wonderful for rounding out the discussion of Mind because it directly addresses the fears that we all struggle with of perhaps forgetting something important or needed. This doesn't only apply to age-related issues, but can be equally helpful with the tests and challenges faced in school. All of the kids can memorize the verse from 2 Tim. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind.” What does that mean to the kids? Isn't fear the belief that there is a power out there opposed to God, another mind that can determine how our day goes? This is an opportunity to really understand and ponder the First Commandment and how it figures into our experience. Fear can really seem like a God to us sometimes. Whether we struggle with being afraid of the dark, of a new experience, of meeting new people, whatever scares us, it all comes down to worshiping only Mind, only good/God. We don't have to cave in to fear because we know that Mind is governing, divine intelligence is infinite, everywhere and always in operation.
[PYCL 5: Show and discuss how “there’s nothing more stress-free than a reflection.”]
You could bring your mirrors in again this week to aid in the discussion of Mind and Mind's creation being reflection. Look at citation S2 if the kids are a little older, if not then maybe you can put it into other words after reading it in her words. What is the substance of a reflection? What is solid, what is lasting, what is real about spiritual reflection? Maybe the substance of reflection is the perfect active likeness of Mind, doing intelligent and wise things. (Come up with specifics here). Mrs. Eddy says here that “The spiritual man's consciousness and individuality are reflections of God.” Talk about what consciousness is and individuality. With the littler kids you can talk about how only their face shows up when they hold the mirror up to their own face. It won't show someone across from them. God's reflection is accurate and perfect and shows only God's qualities and nothing else. If the mirror suddenly showed you with a hat and you weren't wearing a hat, you would not suddenly believe that you were wearing a hat would you? You'd check out to see if you had a mirror that was doing a trick, right?
[PYCL 6: Discuss the infinite & complete nature of Mind where there’s room for only good!]
Another little project is also familiar but might be a short illustration of the infinite and complete nature of Mind. Looking at citation S3; “We can have but one Mind, if that one is infinite.” Consider putting a glass in a larger container and filling the glass with water. Once the water has filled the glass to the top, is there any more room? God is infinite so this analogy has its limitations, but you could then talk about the fact that Good/God is infinite; there is no room in the “corners” of infinity to fit anything but God. There can only be Mind and Mind's idea/reflection, no room for someone that doesn't fit that description. If you think less of yourself, you are not looking in the right “mirror”.
Have a grand Sunday!
