Articles

Am I a Liability?                                                             Andrew Kidd

     Is it possible for a good person “without a hateful bone in their body” to be hateful? I did not think it possible, for I was one of those good people, and it was beyond my conception to be hateful. Fortunately I met an independent Christian Science practitioner who lived by a higher standard. She brought to my attention that my humor and “good-natured” teasing could be hurtful. However my position was, if I did not mean to be hurtful, the hurt was somebody else’s problem. The practitioner persisted. Finally, I was confronted with somebody I loved dearly who was already having difficulty, being further demoralized by some flip comment I made. I was horrified by what I had done.

     Since that time, I have taken full responsibility for what I say and do. If it puts a stone on someone’s heart, I am responsible, and believe me, it is the last thing I would ever want to do. This has profoundly changed how I think and act. In the First Edition of Science and Health, the following says it best:  “Persons are not to be trusted; Principle, is all there is to trust.” One of those persons not to be trusted is me! Unless I am operating from the standpoint of Principle, Love, I am a liability to those around me! – and of course, to myself.