Realization and "SPLEWGG"

When I started reading Mrs. Eddy’s Unity of Good for our book club, for a long time I couldn’t get past the following two sentences in Caution in the Truth (p.2).  (The passage appears as part of the answer to an interesting question - Does God know or behold sin, sickness, and death?)

 

“The sinner has no refuge from sin, except in God, who is his salvation.  We must, however, realize God’s presence, power, and love, in order to be saved from sin.”  

 

I love the idea of realizing and a friend reminded me that when we realize a financial transaction, it means the money is in the bank – it’s a deal that is complete!

 

Other definitions from my dictionary app on my phone include:

1.     To grasp or understand clearly

2.     To make real; give reality to (a hope, fear, plan, etc.)

3.     To bring vividly to the mind

4.     to sight-read music on a keyboard instrument or write out in notation the full harmony and ornamentation indicated by (a figured bass)

 

I also like the definition of sin that I came across this evening of to make a mistake.

 

I did some research on “seven deadly sins” and found the following “sins” might qualify –

 

Sloth

Pride

Lust

Envy

Wrath (hatred, revenge)

Gluttony

Greed

 

In trying to find an easy way to remember them, I have finally come up with “splewgg”!!!

 

These are so interesting, and I’ve found references to all of these in both the Bible and Mrs. Eddy’s writings.  I also started writing down how we might counteract these tendencies (with some assistance from Jesus’ teachings (Matthew chapters 5 and 6):

 

Sloth – diligence

Pride – humility (Blessed are the meek…Blessed are the poor in spirit…)

Lust – purity, chastity (Blessed are the pure in heart…)

Envy – contentment, good will, kindness (Blessed are the peacemakers…)

Wrath – love, forgiveness, meekness (Blessed are the merciful…)

Gluttony – moderation, restraint (Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness…)

Greed – discipline (Give us this day our daily bread…)

 

So, as we “realize God’s presence, power, and love” we are saved from being lazy; boastful; pulled towards undue contemplation of the body; jealous; angry or resentful; indulgent; or greedy.  God, who is present, powerful, and loving, and is divine Principle and Love, directs, protects, provides, instructs, manages, choreographs, inspires, and disciplines ALL of us, including the entire universe.  We need just to realize it.

 

Julie Swannell