Do you wish you had an opportunity to correct a mistake or
misunderstanding? Mary Baker Eddy, a
Christian writer and healer, assures us that God will give us this
opportunity. She writes in her book
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures:
“Know thyself, and God will supply the wisdom and the occasion for a victory over evil.”
I learned this one summer when I was working on the staff of a camp. One evening, I was leading a meeting and a camper was being disruptive. I said something to quiet him and he immediately corrected his behavior. I had meant my words to be light and funny, but later that night I overheard another camper say to him, “He sure was angry with you when he spoke to you!”
Obviously, the words I’d used to this camper hadn’t come across the way that I had intended. I wanted to correct this misunderstanding, but how? Recalling the statement above by Eddy, I examined
my motives and feelings about this incident and the camper. I also took the directive to “know thyself” to a spiritual level and acknowledged that both the camper and I
were God’s creation, animated and directed by God’s wisdom.
The next morning, I had a brief, unexpected encounter alone with this camper. At first, I was inclined not to say anything about our exchange the previous night, thinking that I should just let it go. But, remembering Eddy’s statement, I recognized that God was now supplying the opportunity to correct any potential misunderstanding.
“Hey”, I
said, “You knew I was kidding you last night, didn’t you?” “I thought you were”, he replied, with a
sheepish smile, “but, I’m glad you confirmed it.” And with that simple exchange the victory
over misunderstanding was won.
You can learn more about the help God gives you in Eddy's book. Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures can be read online, purchased from any major bookseller, or read, borrowed or purchases at any Christian Science Reading Room. The Reading Room in Evergreen, Colorado is located at 4602 Plettner Lane.
