No Money for Schooling?

IF you or a member of your family is facing expenses for school-whether for college or on another level-you don't need to be told that it can be expensive. But the desire for progress, which is what education really represents, can't be held hostage to finances. And we can overcome any belief that it can by gaining a deeper understanding of God and our relation to Him.

This practical approach changes our whole perspective on where our supply of good comes from. If we think we are limited by a paycheck or bank account, we are closing the door of our thought to the abundance of ideas flowing from God, who is infinite Love. Christ Jesus' guidance in his Sermon on the Mount makes this clear.

In this sermon, Jesus spoke of God's goodness and His constant care for all of His children. At one point, he told his listeners, Matthew's Gospel records, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" He went on to say, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (6:28-30, 33).

What Jesus is describing is the recognition that man is spiritual and inseparable from his creator, infinite divine Love. The understanding of this fact and its implications really does bring us into God's kingdom, where Love reigns supreme. But reaching this point may require a radical shift in how we are looking at ourselves and our prospects.

Humanly speaking, we may not have a lot of financial resources. But, as God's offspring, which is what we truly are, we have abundant spiritual resources. These include intelligence, goodness, inspiration, and other useful qualities that can bless mankind. These qualities not only are brought out through education; they help us obtain it.

For example, the joy and energy that come from expressing God, infinite Life, make an ideal employee. Such qualities-and others-help us to find suitable work if that is what is needed to support our educational efforts. Recognizing that man includes both the intelligence and the inspiration of Mind helps us to be open to new ideas and new ways of financing an education.

Yet even as we look within ourselves to see what spiritual qualities we already know about and can express in our lives, we need to remember that the source of these capacities isn't in our personal being but in God. And that can take a big load off our shoulders. Instead of feeling personally responsible for finding what we need or worrying that we are inadequate in a particular area, we can be confident that God will always be caring for us and giving us all good.

Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, makes this very clear in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Speaking of God as Soul, she writes, "Soul has infinite resources with which to bless mankind, and happiness would be more readily attained and would be more secure in our keeping, if sought in Soul" (p. 60).

As we think of our goals in these spiritual terms, we are affirming who we actually are-the sons and daughters of God. Such prayer effectively guides us to whatever resources we need. It may be that the needed financing will come on a day-to-day basis instead of as a huge grant that covers everything. But, like the lilies Jesus spoke of, we can trust that God will not abandon us.

Jesus also taught us to know God as our Father, who cares for us in every need. If at any point in our educational experience we find ourselves feeling afraid, we can turn to our Father in prayer and gain strength, freedom, and guidance.

Our desire for education-or for any progressive step-is actually a desire to express more of God's nature in a wider arena than what we are doing now. As we turn more and more to Soul's inexhaustible resources, we will have whatever we need to fulfill God's purpose.