Monthly Archives: April 2010

The concluding note on how to live your life: (see A Binary, Over-simplified Model of the Consequences of my Choices – previous 3 blog posts)

Perhaps by dichotomising this issue I have made it seem overly simple. Either you choose option A or you choose option B for your life. This is not the case. The world is not a binary system of ones and zeroes but an infinitely complex set of multivariate, interconnected relationships. We try and model the world by making assumptions (economists!) or by over-simplifying complex issues (as above). When we model in this way, we risk losing the usefulness of the model, quite simply because it no longer represents reality. It is too far removed and abstracted from the real, complex system that the jump from the model to the real world is too large. I hope that my model (a binary, over-simplified model of the consequences of my choices) still has some usefulness, even after the oversimplification.

Very few people are entirely hedonistic, without a shred of redeeming character, and even less live completely godly lives. We are all some combination of these two options. The one advantage of the binary representation, I think, is that it symbolises that we cannot or rather that we should not dabble in one (the hedonistic option for me) every now and then and live mostly in the other, but should live wholly in one of these – either hot or cold, not some perverted mixture of the two (salt-water and fresh water, grapes and thorn bushes, figs and thistles for example). Wherever you find yourself, I think it is imperative that we are honest with ourselves – something I am trying to do.

It’s all good and well to know what we should do, but how can we actually do this? This is where my little model fails – it is descriptive and not prescriptive. I highly doubt that a prescriptive model of that complexity could be represented dichotomously, and my initial speculation is that we already have that prescriptive model…we just don’t follow its prescriptions….just a thought  🙂

The second of two options on how to live your life: (see A Binary, Over-simplified Model of the Consequences of my Choices –  see 2 previous blog posts)

1. Word of God Option

• For lack of a better description I shall call this option the W.O.G. Option. It encompasses seeing things from God’s perspective. Acknowledging that the Bible is God’s manual for life and outlines the best way to live. The directives and exhortations outlined in the Bible are not suggestions on a ‘good’ way to live, they outline the only way that leads to life.
• You are more productive. You are more focused. You care about doing your best. You are able to work for longer periods of time.
• You have to be more disciplined if you are to choose this option. You cannot act on every whim, fulfil every desire or say anything that comes to your mind. You act like a rational human that thinks, contemplates and considers things before doing them. Not like an animal that does whatever it wants to. There is thought for the long term and not only the here-and-now.
• You are confident inside yourself. “The righteous are as bold as a lion” – you know this is also true. This confidence manifests itself in numerous ways; willingness to challenge anyone if they are acting unjustly and the ability to act courageously when needed.
• Your moods are much more stable and you are more able to brush off your irritability. You are a nicer person to be around; you are more stable and joyful.
• You are more organised, probably a bi-product of living a more disciplined life.
• You are less materialistic. You understand better that people are what is important and spend your time accordingly. (Although there are numerous elements relating to Biblical directives this is one of the most pertinent for me). Some of these other directives are: to care for the poor, to share God’s love with people, to fellowship with believers etc)
• Another directive is to study the Bible and to know God more. In this option you devote more time to theology and understanding the Bible.

The first of two options on how to live your life: (see A Binary, Over-simplified Model of the Consequences of my Choices – previous blog post)

1. Hedonistic Option

• Feels very good (let’s not kid ourselves) when you are doing it but afterwards you feel guilty and dirty. If you indulge in this option enough the guilt might start to lessen and the dirty feeling might stop feeling dirty in the same way that people who live by a rubbish dump don’t smell the stench.
• You are not as productive as you can be since you are distracted by every whim and pleasure that might cross your mind.
• There is very little discipline involved in this option and this spills over into other areas of your life.
• Inside yourself you are less confident even though this isn’t necessarily reflected in your outward composure. “The wicked flee though no one pursues them” – you know this is true. You are less confident to withstand confrontation by righteous people.
• This option is ‘common’. It takes little effort, skill, determination, humility, growth and all the virtues of life.
• You live by the seat-of-your-pants and take the world as it comes, with little thought for the future. As a result, you have to deal with the consequences arising from your actions (often this brings pain and much unnecessary, wasted effort).
• This option is encouraged by mass media, perhaps as a result of corporate evolution and the profit motive (combined). It makes sense to want consumers that act on impulse, buy when they feel like it (or more realistically when prompted by advertising) and live ‘in the moment’ with little thought for the future (particularly to discount your future physical, emotional and financial health).
• Probably as a result of the lack of discipline, your moods are erratic and you are easily irritated by some people. There isn’t much constancy and stability.

You have two options. You can live a life of hedonistic pleasure and do whatever your heart desires, whatever that may be. Or you can choose to live a life according to the Word of God. Let’s be creative and call these two options the “Hedonistic option” and the “Word of God option” 🙂 It’s always a good idea to think about things, so I’ll think about them now and write them down so that when you are deciding which of the two options to choose (for we face these choices often, if not daily) you will have a well thought out summary of the two. The next two blog posts will be about each of these options.