How receptive are you?

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“To what?” you might be asking.

Well—specifically to God!

Receptivity is the willingness to actually listen to what God is revealing to us—about our true nature as well as seeing and casting out what we’ve falsely identified with of mortal mind—and to humbly be obedient to our Father-Mother God’s unfoldment to us.

Clouds and rays of sun 08.02.15And that entails our willingness to change!

You’ll recall from the Gospel of Mark that a young man approached Jesus and asked him what he needed to do to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17-22). After Jesus told him, and the young man said that he had always done those things, the Master discerned there was one thing yet that he had to do—sell his possessions, give the income to the poor, and then follow Jesus.  This hit right to the core of what was holding this individual’s spiritual progress back—but it was more than he was willing to do and he left in distress.

In contrast to that, and from the same Gospel, was blind Bartimæus who begged for Jesus to heal him (Mark 10:46-52).  Many in the crowd did everything they could to dissuade the blind man from seeking help, but after he continued to call, and after Jesus responded, the crowd suddenly changed tactics and encouraged him—isn’t that just like what the two-faced carnal mind would do!  And what was the blind man’s response?  To cast away his garment—throw off his material thought—and humbly come to Jesus who then healed him.  The Master then told him to go his way, but instead Bartimæus followed Jesus in the way!

What a stark difference between these two states of thought!

Now, we need to ask ourselves a very serious question: Which one are we identifying with?

Are we really willing to cast off our material modes of thought and leave all for God and be the healers that we—who call ourselves Christian Scientists—have been anointed and appointed to be by none other than Almighty God?

Or are we going to cling to those tatters of matter—satisfied with the “progress” that we feel comfortable with rather than what the Christ is impelling in us?

Remember, friends, Mary Baker Eddy wrote:

Willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea. (Science and Health, p. 323)

Isn’t that where our thought needs to be?  Isn’t this what we need to humbly watch and pray for?

Isn’t this how we need to live our lives?

6 thoughts on “How receptive are you?”

  1. Ken,

    Great to see another post from you! Thought provoking and helpful reminders as always. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Great! Thanks, Ken. Wondering WHY it was so hard for the young man to give up what he had, I realize that, whether hard-earned or bestowed upon, SOCIAL STATUS is a worldly measurement identifying man, according to how much (“old” or “new”) money; what connections (including which “side of the tracks”); how much education; what positions of power; etc. It’s hard to deny, from a human perspective. The young man had “everything to lose,” while blind Bartimæus had “anything to gain.” Mrs. Eddy wrote, “Take away wealth, fame, and social organizations, which weigh not one jot in the balance of God, and we get clearer views of Principle. Break up cliques, level wealth with honesty, let worth be judged according to wisdom…” (S&H 239:5). When one follows the Christ-call, it can seem to human-sense, a very rugged journey; BUT “… No ill, — since God is good, and loss is gain” (SH 389:16).

    • Thanks, Nela, for your comments! The “WHY” is the nature of animal magnetism, to hypnotize individuals, to blind them from the truth of salvation. Whereas the blind man had the humility to see what he needed to do, was persistent in his calls to the Christ, and was willing to do whatever was necessary to be saved–and was saved! 🙂

  3. Hi Ken,

    I love reading your Vistas — always such well-reasoned and well-written wake-up calls for us all to do better.

    Thanks for the prayer and care you put into these missives!

    Bertina

    p.s. You might want to change “are” in to “our” in the next-to-the-last sentence.

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