Does what we do define who we are? Or does who we are define what we do?
The question, honestly, isn't an either/or situation.
We do good things because within us, part of our identity, is good. We are good, and so we do good things.
We do evil, bad things, however, because within us, part of our identity, is evil. We are evil, and so we do evil things.
Psalm 139 recognizes, "How wonderfully, beautifully you made me." Psalm 51 equally recognizes, "Oh see, in guilt I was born. A sinner I was conceived." Only by seeing both do we have an honest view of the human person.
We will never have integrity until we can recognize with honesty that there is something within us that inspires us to do things that are hurtful, not only to others but to ourselves. In the same light, we must recognize our own goodness.
Our choices can deepen our tendencies, however. As a person, we can choose to do evil or to do good. One choice, however, does not define us. No matter how extraordinarily good a particular, single choice may be, it is not enough to make us a good person. No matter how extraordinarily evil a particular, single choice may be, this choice does not make us an evil person.
In the end, it is our habitual choices that finally determine whether the good or the evil within us wins. We are, so we do, and the more we do, the more we become what we are. As Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher once wrote, "We are what we repeatedly do."
If we want to be good, then, we must make a consistent habit of doing the good. We must make it a habit of choosing moment-by-moment the good. If we do otherwise, we are evil.
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so say someone wasn't the greatest person and a year ago to the day went on the most awesome faith filled weekend and was changed. This person's life was turned upside down after this weekend and no matter what the person did nothing got better. Things happened that happen to "other" people more frequently than before. The person kept fighting though knowing Jesus wanted that and there would be a better place waiting in the end. Now a year later to the day this person has fought so hard and loses continuously and finally has given up and given in. So after doing the good for a year if the person stops now, will that make them evil?
ReplyDeleteI guess my question would be, "Why is the person 'fighting' and 'losing'?" Life is not a competition that we "fight" to either "win" or "lose". Life just happens. Each choice is made independently with each situation. Just because the person was a stinker a year ago, doesn't mean the person has to be a stinker now. The person can choose differently.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, all you can do is the make the best possible choice that you can make in the situation in which you find yourself. It doesn't matter what choices you've made up to this point, or what choices you may have to make in the future. What is the best choice we can make right now, in the circumstances we're in at this moment?
I had a philosophy professor once tell me that "the half is greater than the whole." What he meant was that if I looked at the whole situation, I would be overwhelmed and paralyzed into doing nothing. But if I could just break it down into its parts, and deal with each single part at a time, I would soon find that I had made it through the whole, and survived. And maybe even thrived.
To be good doesn't mean doing the whole thing perfectly. Being good means choosing the good this time. And then choosing the good again next time. And then again next time. But each time, the choice is different, and easier to make.
Don't let yourself be overwhelmed by the whole picture. Just take it one piece at a time, one moment at a time. Focus on one choice at a time. Otherwise, you'll never choose anything.
You make me think.
ReplyDeleteI like the invisible joke too. My son's gonna love it.
Nice blog.
the fight would be to win against Satan who obviously wants to keep you from God. I believe he may have won this one. Even after choosing good, bad things keep happening. you get worn down-tired of fighting Satan
ReplyDeleteI know that Satan is out there, "on the prowl, looking for souls to devour." A mistake would be to think that Satan is responsible for every bad thing that has happened in our lives.
ReplyDeleteWhose fault was it that Adam and Eve sinned? Satan was there tempting them, certainly, but the fault lies squarely with Adam and Eve. They made the decision.
When someone else's wrong doing puts hardship on us, is it Satan's fault? Satan was certainly there tempting, but the person chose to do wrong.
Now, pain has come into our lives because of the wrong doing of another (this is only one source of suffering), what do we do? Satan is certainly there tempting us, but we have the power to choose.
Can we blame God for his "inaction"? What action would we have God take? The basic meaning of the book of Job, when it comes down to it, is that suffering comes, and who are we to question God's handling of our situation. We can blame God for not making a person act the way that we want that person to act, but is that God's fault? Once again, God is there offering all of the grace the person needs to do right, but the person can choose to ignore God's grace just as easily as he or she can ignore Satan's temptations.
God is offering us, at every moment of our lives, every grace we need to see the particular situation that we are in. We do not know what grace he may offer us tomorrow. We may have missed the grace he offered us yesterday. But right now, we know that God is faithful, and has already offered his grace to us. It becomes our choice.
We cannot blame God for our lack of cooperation. The first step towards healing, strength, grace-full living, is to accept responsibility for what we are responsible. We are not resposible for everything. When I am faced with someone else's refusal to do right, I cannot control that other person's actions. All I can do is to accept the suffering as it comes, and make sure that I am doing the right thing.
St. Paul speaks of being crucified with Christ. There were two men who were crucified with Christ. One accepted the pain, the other rejected it. Which one found salvation? "I deserve this suffering as a consequence of my sin. Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
This is truly one of the most beautiful prayers we can offer when we are faced with suffering, even if it is suffering that is caused by another's sin. After all, what momentous thing have we done that we deserve not to suffer, when the only man who never did anything wrong suffered on the cross the consequences of the sins of all?