Human Concerns or the Concerns of God
I tipped over my wheelbarrow the other morning and out fell a thick, wheelbarrow shaped sheet of ice. I picked it up and looked through it. It was amazing how clear it was, just like a sheet of glass. The first irrational thought that popped into my head was that I could use it as a window but, obviously, I hadn’t thought that through, because no sooner did the sun hit it, than it began to melt.
But the thought of looking through a window took me down a philosophical path. We each have a framework of thoughts and beliefs that form a kind of window through which we view the world around us and which shapes the decisions and choices we make.
There are a number of broad ethical frameworks that people use to navigate their way through life. First, there is the virtue approach, where an individual naturally and intuitively displays characteristics that are generally recognized as good - qualities like courage, generosity, honesty, friendship, gratitude... Their actions need to be consistent with their nature. Second, there are consequentialist approaches. Consequentialists evaluate choices and actions by their consequences, for example, the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The end justifies the means. Third, deontological approaches consider that the way we do something is more important than its consequences – the means justifies the end. The means is right if it satisfies the demands of personal, family, community, or societal obligation. Finally, there are subjectivist approaches where an action has to meet the criterion of self-approval. Do I believe that it is the right thing to do? What does my conscience say?
While there are different approaches, I think that, in practice, no one operates according to one single clearly defined ethic in every situation, but instead utilize aspects of a number of different approaches. However, the problem with all these ways of thinking is that they are human constructs and are therefore as finite and limited as we are. They melt when the sun shines on them. Jesus recognized this failing in his followers when he said to them, “you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (Matthew 16:23).
What Jesus wanted to see in them, and what I long for, is a perspective on life that is unconstrained by human self-interest and is instead informed by principles that are universally applicable and always right. The bible points us in the right direction. “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Let Jesus be our benchmark. “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Romans 12:2) and “set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).
Neil Percival
But the thought of looking through a window took me down a philosophical path. We each have a framework of thoughts and beliefs that form a kind of window through which we view the world around us and which shapes the decisions and choices we make.
There are a number of broad ethical frameworks that people use to navigate their way through life. First, there is the virtue approach, where an individual naturally and intuitively displays characteristics that are generally recognized as good - qualities like courage, generosity, honesty, friendship, gratitude... Their actions need to be consistent with their nature. Second, there are consequentialist approaches. Consequentialists evaluate choices and actions by their consequences, for example, the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The end justifies the means. Third, deontological approaches consider that the way we do something is more important than its consequences – the means justifies the end. The means is right if it satisfies the demands of personal, family, community, or societal obligation. Finally, there are subjectivist approaches where an action has to meet the criterion of self-approval. Do I believe that it is the right thing to do? What does my conscience say?
While there are different approaches, I think that, in practice, no one operates according to one single clearly defined ethic in every situation, but instead utilize aspects of a number of different approaches. However, the problem with all these ways of thinking is that they are human constructs and are therefore as finite and limited as we are. They melt when the sun shines on them. Jesus recognized this failing in his followers when he said to them, “you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns” (Matthew 16:23).
What Jesus wanted to see in them, and what I long for, is a perspective on life that is unconstrained by human self-interest and is instead informed by principles that are universally applicable and always right. The bible points us in the right direction. “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Let Jesus be our benchmark. “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Romans 12:2) and “set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).
Neil Percival