Have you ever made an important decision on the spur of the moment and later wished you had followed a different path?
At some point in our lives, we all do it. Whether it’s buying a car without first doing our research, moving in with a friend who we barely know, or agreeing to some commitment when put on the spot, we’ve probably all made many hasty decisions.
Perhaps one cause for this is the extreme busyness of our lives, where we constantly rush to keep up with work, family and social commitments, leaving us too time-poor to stop and consider our decisions carefully.
A term I came across recently was the “microwave generation”, a reference to society’s expectation of instant gratification – whether it be drive-through fast food, instant air conditioning, or millions of search results via Google in a fraction of a second. On their own, these are not bad things, but our world has become so busy that not only do we expect to receive everything instantly, but we ourselves are expected to respond to requests and questions instantly. Hence, our decision-making is often done in haste.
An antidote to hastiness in decision-making can be found in the somewhat forgotten virtue of prudence. One of the four cardinal virtues, along with justice, fortitude and temperance, prudence is defined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as follows:
“Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it…” (n.1806).
In the New Testament, Jesus speaks about the prudent man who, “intending to build a tower, first sits down and estimates the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it” (Luke 14:28 NRSVCE). Scripture also provides us with the wonderful example of St Joseph’s prudence. When faced with extremely challenging situations like the revelation of his betrothed’s pregnancy, St Joseph never acted hastily. Rather, he prayed and waited for God’s guidance. Once the decision was made, he acted immediately and courageously.
I encourage you to reflect on the virtue of prudence, and to strive to build a habit of deeply considering your decisions – both great and small – rather than rushing into them. Instead of firing off an angry reply to a critical email or social media comment, stop and pray about the most prudent response. Instead of agreeing to buy that shiny car because the dealer says he needs a decision now, tell him you need 24 hours and spend time praying for the wisdom to carefully assess your needs. Make prudence your guide.
Further Reading
The Virtue of Prudence
Pope Francis’ Cycle of Catechesis: Vices and Virtues – Prudence
Image: Lighstock
Words: Matthew Biddle