Restraint and decisiveness

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

 

A TRULY prudent man would know how to practice both restraint and decisiveness in his judgments, reactions and actuations. He is not simply restrained and moderate if only to play safe. Neither is he just bold and decisive to make his point clear.

Depending on the circumstances of a given situation, a truly prudent man would know how to restrain himself and how to be decisive. If facts are clear and the pieces of evidence are strong, then he would not hesitate to make his views clear and to take the appropriate action.

Otherwise, he would prefer to keep quiet and discreet, or at the most would just keep some tentative views and opinions which are usually kept to himself until things become clear in a way that would warrant a clear-cut judgment and action.

This kind of prudence can only come about as a result of one’s identification with Christ who would inspire him to always judge, react and act with charity. Yes, if prudence has to be true prudence, it always has to be animated by charity, the one that was shown and commanded by Christ to us.

If we take another close look at the life of Christ, we would see that he was both restrained and decisive in his ways. When some people, who were impressed with his words and miracles, wanted to make him king, he managed to get away. He also tried his best to adapt his very mysterious teachings to the capability of the people, by using parables and common-life examples.

And while he could read the minds of people, he saw to it that any clarification and corrections he made was done both with clarity and delicacy. There was forcefulness to them, but of the kind that was animated by charity.

We have to learn to develop this kind of prudence that would give due consideration to our capabilities and limitations as well as to the available facts and pieces of evidence. What is most important is that everything is always referred to God, and any judgment, reaction and actuation we make is done always in the presence of God.

That’s when we can most likely make fair and balanced judgments, and our reactions in words and actuations to issues and things would always be marked by charity that never compromises with the truth.

In fact, when push comes to shove, a truly prudent person would be willing to suffer whatever consequences may come. This was the prudence of Christ himself who preferred to suffer and die on the cross rather than compromise his mission of saving us from our state of alienation from God due to sin.

To be sure, the restraint, moderation and discretion in true prudence is not simply for self-preservation. They would purely be out of charity, out of due consideration to the conditions of the moment. They do not undermine that decisiveness and boldness that are also an integral part of true prudence.

To develop this true prudence, we certainly need to familiarize ourselves with the teachings and example of Christ. We have to develop the appropriate attitudes, skills and virtues, like study and reflection, consultations, tact, etc. Effort and struggle against our weaknesses and temptations would be involved here.

And more than these, we need to avail of God’s grace that usually comes to us through the reception of the sacraments.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com