Intelligence

Most of us would agree that God, to be God, must be intelligent. And His intelligence cannot be limited, confined to some small corner of the universe. God must be infinite intelligence, or He ceases to be credible.

One of humanity's greatest fears is to be thought unintelligent. Fear itself inhibits the demonstration of intelligence; it acts as a mental block. How constantly we measure ourselves and others as being more or less intelligent! Is the brain the right size and kind? Is one's IQ high enough? Will my children's intelligence be sufficient? Will I have the ideas I need to succeed?

How do we get rid of such fears?

By looking to the one real source of intelligence - to God. To a God who is more than intelligent; who is infinite Mind, and therefore Himself infinite intelligence. ''Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite,'' n1 the Psalmist sang. God's creation must be rooted and grounded in, and expressive of, His intelligence. Such is the rule of all being, for like produces like.

n1 Psalms 147:5.

This reasoning rests thought on a sure foundation, turns it from fruitless contemplation of a limited mortal self. Fear then returns to the nothingness from which it came, for there is no real creator for fear; humanity gives it the only temporary power it ever has, as Christ Jesus showed throughout his ministry.

The following account of an actual event, though itself not particularly earthshaking, does, however, provide a useful illustration.

For some years a Christian Scientist had the task of responding to requests for talks on his religion. One such request came by letter from a teacher at a college of further education, the kind that gives an extra year to students thought likely to benefit from it. The wording of the request seemed to suggest some difficulty, but did not explain precisely. The teacher, on the day of the talk, revealed it. He said: ''This class is really dumb; they are totally unintelligent. You'll get no response, I'm afraid, and no questions. It's really a waste of your time, but I thank you very much for coming.''

The talk lasted twenty minutes; twenty minutes were reserved for questions. They came, good ones from a lively audience - so many that not all could be answered. Afterward, the teacher, clearly greatly astonished, said, ''It's amazing! How did you do it?'' The speaker replied: ''You'll not mind my being frank. To my way of thinking, to come here to talk to unintelligence would itself be unintelligent. So it was natural to credit these young people with the intelligence we all reflect spiritually from that infinite intelligent Mind which, as we understand Him, is God.''

There followed a long conversation about what this could mean in education. Then at lunch, on hearing the speaker introduced as a Christian Scientist, two other teachers began to ask rather craftily phrased questions. Before the Scientist could respond, his host quietly remarked, ''Lay off. This man knows what he is talking about. And what's more, I have seen it work this morning.'' A very pleasant discussion followed.

But suppose, for one moment, that all humanity could look at itself, not with that judgmental view which so often denigrates and discourages, but with a deep, abiding understanding that the very place where each one of us is, is already filled by God, infinite Love, pouring forth His infinite intelligence in abundant measure to and through His spiritual creation.

Pointing out that there is but one Mind, God (not many little minds running loose, as it were), and thus no real source for any other intelligence, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, goes on to say, ''Having no other gods, turning to no other but the one perfect Mind to guide him, man is the likeness of God, pure and eternal, having that Mind which was also in Christ.'' n2 To bow one's knees in humility and reverence before this Mind, infinite intelligence, opens the door to a freedom humanity can know in no other way.

n2 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 467.

DAILY BIBLE VERSE The Lord giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. he layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous; he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. Proverbs 2:6, 7