143-WATCH lest you believe that the spiritual idea, which is the real nature of man, can be lost, contaminated, or rendered inoperative, because of any human condition, happening or evidence. If you lost a diamond in a mud puddle, you would have faith that it would not be soiled or harmed by the experience, and a hard rain storm would wash away the mud and reveal the gem in all its purity. Once a Christian Science lecturer said, "Never believe that even your own folly can indefinitely postpone the destiny God has in store for you. In Matthew 4:7 Jesus says, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." If "the Lord" is God transformed into idea, or man, then our task is to realize that this Christ nature in ourselves or others cannot be lost, that it cannot be defiled or even tempted by any earthly suggestions or conditions. When you are tempted to feel sick or to sin, you can realize that man's real nature is superior to such phases of the dream of mortality. You can know that you continue to be a channel for good to all mankind, in spite of all that mortal suggestion or false testimony conspires to do, to attempt to pull your thought down from its high pinnacle. Mrs. Eddy once said, "Error says we are sick or discouraged; we don't say it. It is error talking about itself. If we admit it, we have accepted a lie. Truth says, 'I have perfect eyes, perfect heart, perfect limbs, etc.; all there is to me is like God, like perfection. We should discard mortal mind judgment, and pray for the Christ Mind." Once a woman had an internal displacement. She was a Christian Scientist, but she was greatly tempted to submit to an operation, because it seemed the only way to get relief. She started for her practitioner's office in order to tell her what she planned to do, but on the way she became so grateful for Christian Science, that she determined to live up to its teachings to the best of her ability, even if she were never healed of the physical disorder (C.S. Sentinel, August 15, 1931). This lady experienced her healing right then and there. Her declaration was really a determination to defend her recognition of the fact that she was a spiritual idea and reflected God, against being belittled or interfered with by any false testimony, or human suggestion. "Do not tempt the Lord thy God." Do not believe that man's spiritual selfhood, which is the expression of God's being, is susceptible to being tempted. Mrs. Eddy once declared, "I must know that the definition of man in Science and Health applies to me. I am that spiritual man; I am God's image and likeness, reflecting a full, perfect image of Life, Mind, action, etc., not under material laws or limitations." One could no more believe that this perfect selfhood could be tempted with evil, than that a bullet aimed at an actor in a moving picture, could harm him.