Quite often I am told, either aloud or through a dubious glance, that I must be at least half crazy to have studied philosophy in college. Perhaps it is true, though I marvel no less at people who can live their entire lives without ever asking philosophical questions. Honestly, does it not seem unhealthy for someone to live every day without ever asking himself, "Why am I alive?"
Regardless of which camp your tent is staked in, let us move away from these speculative questions to confront something more practical: decision-making. Everywhere I visit in the world, I find people at a crossroads between at least two important choices, and often more. Books that sell hints for the best course of action are sold by the dozens, but there is a simple way to simplify the decision every time. Before I can make a wise decision, I must know my priorities.
In today's world, some would argue that each persons values and priorities are different. That may be true, but whether or not I agree, let us take a look at a traditional American perspective. At least in the past in Uncle Sam's Land of Opportunity, most Americans would have said that their values were God, family, and work, in that order. I would suggest that these remain top priorities in the lives of most people throughout the world today, though perhaps the order changes according to the person: their religious beliefs, their loved ones, and their career or daily subsistance.
Looking at the question of priorities from a purely secular perspective, I have observed that in most cultures, family and work are among the highest priorities in a persons life, often defining other priorities such as honor, patriotism, social status, wealth, happiness, fame, and values. Nonetheless, I see that these two values can be in conflict in many situations, causing great tension.
For our purposes, let us agree that work falls into two principle categories: career and livelihood. To define our terms, a career is a position sought after and attained based on one's desire for the salary it pays, the type of work required, the opportunities that accompany it, or the rewards that result from it. A livelihood differs in that there is less choice involved; it is work that springs from necessity and survival needs. Both, however, can tear apart a family. For example, imagine a father who lived hand-to-mouth all his life to provide for his family, managing to support his family through his livelihood of rug braiding. However, his son wants more and seemingly turns his back ungratefully on his father's trade, seeking education and a career in business which takes him far from home while his father ages and his family continues to battle poverty. Or picture a wife and mother who fails to make enough time for her family because her career demands too much attention, pulling her out of the home so much that the children turn to drugs while the husband files for divorce.
Maybe the inverse is true. Consider a man who gets fired from his career in customer service because he continually drops everything he is doing to respond to family "needs" when his wife or children call. Or think of the woman whose baby becomes ill and who must make long trips to the nearest hospital, only to find that her meager garden did not produce enough vegetables for the family's table this year.
Yes, these are fictional, extreme examples; but, I would argue that they are not far from reality. Family and work are both important values, and must remain so, in my opinion. However, there needs to be a hierarchy of priorities; they cannot occupy the same rung of the ladder. When one is thus lifted to a greater level of importance, decision-making becomes that much easier. For example, if family is deemed more important, the mother will not hesitate to take her baby to the hospital as necessary. She will worry about finding more ways to provide later, and maybe other family members with a similar set of values will step in and lend a hand in the meanwhile. Or, remember the son with the new career? If his career is more important than his family, his decisions are simplified: he will climb the corporate ladder no matter what the consequences. Perhaps he believes that the more successful he becomes, the more he will be able to do for his family in the future.
Naturally, other values vie for importance in our lives, complicating our choices. Two other priorities often considered are country (or patriotism) and happiness. Depending on one's order of priorities, perhaps a person will choose to serve in the military rather than marry a high-school sweetheart, or instead of pursuing a dream to become a professional athlete. Others set their happiness, or the happiness of those around them, as their highest priority, making every work- or family-related decision based on what they expect will make them happy.
Now let us throw religion into the mix. One reason many people prioritize religion in their lives is because it helps them order the rest of their priorities. For example, Islam has Five Pillars, clearly defining five of the highest priorities for its adherents. In terms of decision-making, this certainly simplifies matters. For example, when a Muslim passes a beggar on the street, he has been trained to consider alms-giving as important, and he might give generously to the beggar without much thought, avoiding the inner struggle that others face as they walk by, trying to determine an appropriate response.
To summarize, my suggestion for simplifying decision-making is for each person to take a moment to assess his or her priorities, setting up a hierarchy that will prove helpful when choices must be made. Employing those we have discussed and returning to our traditional American mentality, perhaps on such hierarchy would be as follows:
1. God
2. America
3. Family
4. Personal Happiness
5. Career
Whether this hierarchy is good or bad, someone else can judge. My own hierarchy of priorities looks quite a bit different. Would you be interested in a taking a look at it as a case study?
I am Christian, and the Bible teaches clearly that the Lord God, as known through His Son, Jesus, should be in the first place. This is extremely logical, because the Lord knows me intimately, wants what is best for me, and has the power to bring about what is best for me. So I put Him in the first place.
However, this is where philosophy comes back into the picture. Why am I alive? After all, I did not choose to be born. As I study the Bible, I see that God is central in everything, in all of life, and in all of the universe--whether I choose to give Him the first place or not. I see that everything He created reveals His beauty in a unique way, bringing Him more glory. Thus as a man created by God, my purpose is to reveal God and to bring Him glory. By examining the life of Jesus, I see that the way to do this is to surrender myself and every aspect of my life completely to Him. This surrender includes my family, my work, my nation, and my happiness. After all, God is better equipped than I am to care for my family and my people, to execute my work, and to make me happy.
Therefore, my decision-making looks different than the hierarchy above, in part because Jesus redefines our values. He says not only to love our family, but even our enemies, and He describes the people of the Church as our new adopted family. He teaches that any and all work we do should be done as though we are doing it for the Lord. He demonstrates that there is a peace that passes all understanding and a joy that can be known even in suffering, which makes our superficial idea of happiness seem less appealing. He reveals that our identity is less about where we were born and more about Who gave us our life. Thus, if I were to type my priorities in a symbolic way that tries to represent my own hierarchy and decision-making, it might look something like this:
1. God FIRST in all things!
2. FAM(Glory to God!)ILY, WO(Glory to God!)RK, HAPPI(Glory to God!)NESS, COUN(Glory to God!)TRY, etc.
3. God not only begins, but completes everything.
So, as long as I put God first, He takes care of the details. I do not even have to wonder if my hierarchy is constructed correctly; it is a hierarchy of one. If, by chance, I make a mistake, I do not have to worry, because I know that God works for the good of those who love Him, and since He completes everything, He will cause it to work out and eventually bring Him glory. My decision-making, then, is not analytical, it is relational. I spend my time and energy investing in my relationship with a God who loves me, and He orders everything else. He knows my heart, my desires, and what I need. I highly recommend this low-stress, perhaps hitherto foreign way of dealing with the choices we have to make.
No matter who you are or what you believe, life is about priorities. Who or what will be your top priority? For whom or what do you live? Why are you alive?
