This story in Matthew 12 reminds me of a period of my life when I was clueless on how to live Christian Science, as I would only use it for intermittent relief but made no effort to be obedient to the laws of God.

At the time I had had a very abusive boyfriend (my own stupidity got me there) who finally exited my life. I felt free as a bird! But although I’m sure I felt grateful to God for such freedom, I was not putting Him first in my life, but just bumbling along.

Shortly thereafter a strange thing happened: I bumped into a friend of my former boyfriend in the street, listened to his crazy stories, and became entwined in a bizarre business proposition that would be my downfall (as well as others) and bring me to my knees. Looking back, I had certainly not kept my mind “filled with Truth and Love” and so was not alert to what was happening to me. I fell hook, line and sinker for the devil’s work until I hit rock bottom. I suffered total humiliation and monetary loss, but in retrospect it was the best thing that could have happened, as it burned pride out of me. I found Plainfield a few years later. Today that whole experience is like a bad dream, which is what it was.

Every time I read this passage in Matthew I am reminded of how I had not filled the void in my life with God’s truth, nor was I clad with good thoughts so as to be “shielded from the attacks of error of every sort,” and I easily became handled by the devil. I’m so grateful for how far I’ve come since then. The teachings in Plainfield got me on the right path!