Income and Security

`TOO little income! Not enough security!" I used to feel. But I discovered something invaluable in the Bible about the spiritual nature of dependable income and security. In the New Testament, in Matthew's Gospel, we read that the "tempter" urged Christ Jesus, "Command that these stones be made bread." But Jesus answered, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (4:3, 4).

I'd read these verses many times before, but now I suddenly saw them in a completely different light. I thought of the "word" from "the mouth of God" as income. And as I continued to study and pray I learned that this spiritual income comes from an unfailing source.

Perhaps an illustration of what this meant to me would be helpful. Years ago, I changed careers suddenly. As I initiated my new work, it seemed that I wasn't bringing in enough income. I then tried something radical: I decided to treat as income the ideas coming to me from my daily study of the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. "Every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" became what I acknowledged as income.

Of course, these ideas weren't specific moneymaking activities. Instead, they were spiritual truths that helped open my thought to the presence and purpose of God in my own life each day. They showed me the discipline and inspiration available to me as a child of our Father-Mother God, and these in turn helped me do a better and better job at my new career. I had been thinking it would require some time to establish myself, but the spiritual insights I'd had showed me that this was an unnecessary limitat ion. Soon the work met all our family's financial needs.

Mrs. Eddy, who founded the Church of Christ, Scientist, makes a simple statement about this spiritual supply in her Miscellaneous Writings when she says, "God gives you His spiritual ideas, and in turn, they give you daily supplies" (p. 307).

Establishing the source of our income on a spiritual basis also assures us of its security. Since God is man's preserver as well as his creator, our own security, as well as that of every other member of the family of man, comes entirely from Him. It's only logical that since the creation of man flows from the nature of God as Love, God's love remains with man forever. Think of the Love that creates man. It's not an afterthought or a weak-minded thing. It's not a ceremony, either, nor is it distant or co ld. It is powerful and intelligent and always in action on man's behalf. And it's always present, always providing everything we need.

Our income is secure because it stems from our relationship to God. He is divine Spirit, and we are His spiritual offspring and can never be separated from Him.

So often we see that even massive amounts of material goods do not bring security. But God is always embracing us--sheltering, defending, comforting. When we feel this love, it inspires activity and new energy in our lives. Security, considered in this light, really lies in what we are doing as God's reflection, not in what we have accumulated.

This doesn't mean that we ignore legitimate planning for the future or that we foolishly waste or spoil the resources we have. But it does mean that God is enabling us now to work out His purposes on earth and that this work is proof of the security He provides for everyone.

Hour by hour, day by day, year by year, that spiritually grounded security will provide for our every need.