Man Is Not Cursed
THROUGH the centuries the belief in the power of a curse to cause harm has haunted mankind. Perhaps because of this, individuals and even nations unaware of God's all-inclusive power and goodness have feared most of all throughout the ages that God had -- or would -- curse them. This would indeed be a terrifying possibility, but God never curses man. It is mankind's misconception of the nature of God that makes such cursing seem possible and causes the suffering that results from this mistaken belief. In our present civilization this fear of being cursed may appear under various aliases such as ``bad luck'' or some other more malevolent form of superstition. It may be a conscious or unconscious fear. And often we feel some mental or physical anguish, experience some feeling of hopelessness, as the result of our belief in the power of evil to afflict us. Such a belief that evil is more powerful than good deserves to be recognized as a curse.
Happily, the effects of a belief in or fear of a curse can be healed! Turning to the Bible, we find, right in the first chapter, the record of spiritual creation. Here we learn that God made man in His own image ``and God blessed them.''
It would appear that this true concept of God blessing His entire creation was quickly lost, because we go on to read mankind's mistaken perception of God as changeable and cruel. We find, however, glimmers of light throughout the Old Testament that show mankind progressing slowly out of the darkness of such a frightening misconception of their creator. For example, in Proverbs we read: ``As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.'' It remained for Christ Jesus to show mankind that there was, in fact, no cause for God, divine Love, to curse His spiritual, perfect creation. But the author of this verse in Proverbs obviously glimpsed something of the nature of God as a just God who would not randomly curse or inflict suffering on His people.
No human power can reverse the blessing God has given His people. When, for instance, Balak, king of the Moabites, wanted to defeat the children of Israel in battle, he sent messengers asking Balaam, a soothsayer, to curse them. Though Balaam wishes to do as the king urges, in the end he blesses the Israelites, saying: ``How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? ...Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.''
The Master, Christ Jesus, came to the world to show mankind a God incapable of cursing His people. Jesus showed us that God is a God of Love, a God of forgiveness, a God eternally pouring out blessings upon all His children.
Christian Science follows the Master's teachings and accepts the Bible's spiritual record of creation as the absolute truth of God and man. It shows how an understanding of these truths frees us from the burden and shadow of the mortal curse.
Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes in Christian Healing: ``Is it a duty for any one to believe that `the curse causeless cannot come'? Then it is a higher duty to know that God never cursed man, His own image and likeness.''
As we progressively grow in our understanding and acceptance of God's infinite goodness, the belief in the possibility of either God or man cursing anyone lessens and disappears. Trusting in God's ever-present love for His creation, we no longer fear that He will send evil. This expectancy of good increases health and harmony in our lives and enables us to accept the blessings God is pouring out on us.
