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Monday, April 27, 2015

Fighting Human Nature with Divine Wisdom

I was talking with a friend the other day about something that was bothering me and he said, "well it's human nature".   Then I thought back to the series of events leading up to and including WWI (that I'd seen on AHC) and realize how we stumble into disaster. 

In our everyday lives, we make selfish choices.  Very often, the selfish choices are necessary such as finding time away from our kids so as to mentally and spiritually rejuvenate ourselves--allowing us to be better people and parents.  Sometimes our choices are selfish out of obliviousness.  For example, we make an unscheduled stop at the store to pick up a few items and are so focused on our own needs we forget to ask our spouse if he/she could use anything.  Sometimes we make selfish choices out of greed or jealousy such as grabbing more than our share or taking something that isn't ours. Then there are times we make selfish choices out of fear such as pushing others out of our way to escape a burning building.

Whatever the case, we often justify our self-focused, inconsiderate or boorish behavior by saying, "It's human nature.", as if that makes it okay.  In the WWI series, it was a series of selfish choices by leaders that led to a disastrous war.  In our everyday lives, that behavior leads to unhealthy relationships and unhappy lives.

So, what do we do?  We take time and listen to our Higher Power (God).  We take time and listen to our conscience.  We take time and listen to our others.  LISTEN, not just hear or just do, but truly listen to them.  We need to listen for whom our behavior or actions benefit or hurt.  We listen to whom our actions aren't considering.

God's wisdom, knowledge and discernment are there, but we just have to be open to it.  God gave us a free will.  But sometimes our free will takes us to dark and/or selfish places.  We justify it by saying it is human nature.  Shouldn't we strive for more than human nature?  Shouldn't we strive to understand and mimic God's perfect wisdom?

Proverbs 4:5
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
    Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

(This post was originally published on April 27, 2015)