Today (January 18) in the United States of America is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

During these challenging, sometime turbulent yet transformative times, the quality I’ve thought most about is love. I’ve worked on the Wide Horizon campus and from home to support the daily loving, good works of Christian Science nurses and supportive staff who care for our residents.

In this light, I’m thankful for Reverend King’s example of Christian faith and practice. I appreciate his many good works and words. Among Dr. King’s many profound statements, he said this of love:

“Love has within it a redemptive power. There is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love, they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says…’love your enemies.’” (A Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.)

We need, therefore, to love our enemies to be a true follower of Jesus Christ, who desired all people to “…love your neighbor as yourself.” (Gospel of Matthew 19:19) To truly do this, to see healing, it seems to me that we need to know God loves all His creation, all His children. And, we need to wholeheartedly love God. We need to love ourselves and others as God’s spiritual man – the image and likeness of Spirit, God, as stated in the first chapter of Genesis. Scripture also states, “God is love.” (I John 4:8)

I’m also grateful for Mary Baker Eddy, who was a Reverend and the Pastor Emeritus of The First Church of Christ, Scientist. Her thought-provoking writings have helped me understand more about divine Love. She wrote, “…Love is reflected in love.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 17) This Love is unconditional and powerful. This Love can and does heal. This Love transforms and restores.

When working in a Christian Science nursing environment, we strive to maintain an atmosphere of “Love reflected in love.” We do this partly by living the Principle and practice of our faith, as given by Mrs. Eddy: “The vital part, the heart and soul of Christian Science, is Love.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 113)

In an article from The Christian Science Monitor, Ken Makin wrote, “In his time, Dr. King’s words weren’t always popular, but they were prophetic.” (“The Forgotten King: Commentary on protest, race, and MLK” June 5, 2020) One could say the same of Mrs. Eddy’s words and writings. She and Dr. King, respectively, both turned the other cheek many times and loved their enemies. They knew the transformative power of love and healing power of forgiveness.

Reverend King stated, “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” And he said, “I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.” (Speech accepting Nobel Peace Prize, Dec. 10, 1964) In this light of unconditional love, I figuratively strive to walk with Christ Jesus, and with Rev. King, who also stated, “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” (Where Do We Go from Here, 1967)

So, friends and readers, who are beloved of God, “… let us love one another: for love is of God.” (I John 4:7)

D. Brian Boettiger

Years ago I found this statement of interest:

“…the most widely quoted definition of sustainability as a part of the concept sustainable development,: ‘sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’” (Brundtland Commission of the United Nations, March 20, 1987)

I surmise that the continual newness of Spirit includes the development of ideas which come from an infinite source, meeting the needs of the present, without compromise for all generations of mankind. Therefore, sustainable development when seen and practiced from a spiritual perspective can lead to meeting the needs of all generations, including all God’s creation. This is true sustainability.

Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, wrote, “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 494) From a limited or clouded human perspective this statement may seem impossible, if not ridiculous. But from an enlightened spiritual perspective which wholeheartedly trusts God – divine Love or Holy Spirit – this statement can be and is proven in human experience. Thus, spiritual development which acknowledges God as a benevolent Creator strengthens and supports sustainable development in human enterprises.

A trap is that we may look at what’s going in with our respective organizations, situations, bodies and conditions, and so on, instead of serving and looking only to God, Spirit, as the Source of all good. Seeing daily that sustainability is (or supply and demand are) always balanced in and by Spirit requires yielding our personal, individual or collective material sense of things to an altitude of higher metaphysics.

As I shared last week, “To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. vii). It is therefore this “sustaining infinite” or divine Love which brings true sustainability. For years I’ve felt being a servant of Spirit, not of organization, helps me see more clearly the spiritual abundance which sustains Wide Horizon. For this, I am grateful.

D. Brian Boettiger