How Not to be Fooled

This week's Bible lesson has a long title but it comes down to 'how not to be fooled' or mesmerized by error or evil. We have to stay alert and not be lulled into believing something to be real that God never made or caused. If you are afraid of something, it does not have its source in God, good. In reality, thre is no one to oppose us and we never need to be afraid of being attacked. These opposing factors of error or evil have no real power to harm us.

An excellent example of this is given in Exodus as Mose and Aaron go before Pharaoh on behalf of the children of Israel. When God had given Moses this task, He had shown him how to proceed by telling him to throw down his rod, his shepherd's staff. Right before Moses' startled eyes it turned into a deadly snake. Moses took off. But God called him back and told him to pick it up by the tail no less. Moses obeyed and the 'snake' turned back into his rod. When they went to speak to Pharaoh, Moses entrusted his rod to Aaron. Moses tells Aaron to cast it down and it turns into a snake. Now Pharoah instantly decides that this is a trick, a very different reaction than Moses had. He calls his magicians to match this illusion and they are appear to do so. But in their case it is only trickery, no reality behind it, and Moses' rod swallows up their rods in this duel between reality vs illusion.

The purpose of the miraculous events was not only the deliverance of the children of Israel but the manifestation of God's character to the Egyptians. The purpose of such 'miracles' today when one applies the principles of Christian Science is to show the allness of God, good, and the powerlessness of that which is causing us fear or pain. Mrs. Eddy writes, "Divine Science reverses the false testimony of the material senses, and thus tears away the foundation of error." It leaves error nothing to stand on. No foundation in truth or reality. We no longer are afraid and it disappears, gets swallowed up. There is no one or no thing that can oppose God, no matter how real or frightening it might try to appear.

I was reading an address given by a Christian Scientist where he says, "Fear is the mental process of watching the shadows of evil and error rather than standing in praiseful, prayerful awe before the light of God, good."

Don't be fooled by something that has no power to harm you. Turn away from it and turn to God, who loves you dearly at all times and under all circumstances.