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16 Dec 2025

 

Vagaries Of Human Nature

We all have beliefs, attitudes and values which influence our behavior, form our minds and reflect our souls. As we age, our beliefs sometimes elude our awareness. Other times, we nurture them knowingly, even adamantly. In either case, they become evident in what we say and do – in our character.

Our beliefs underpin our behavioral habits. Some habits and good and healthy, some not. But no matter how benign our good habits or how self-righteously we defend the bad, our beliefs give rise to our behavior and reveal our character.

In short, our fundamental beliefs guide our lives, sometimes to the detriment of self and others. What does this say about human nature? Below, I share a few facts. Some people disagree with what follows; that's fine. I’m writing for clarity, not uniformity … and certainly not to offend.

Humanity’s Flaws And Virtues

1. To begin with, human nature is flawed. We are all - all of us - flawed human beings. Nevertheless, we have been given gifts of reason and choice. Thus, we can achieve great Goodness and wondrous Virtue.
   
   "Flawed" means we are, by nature, instinctively prone to satisfy and defend ourselves, not others, because Virtue is learned and does not come easily. That’s why Christ intervenes in human history and exemplifies the fact that we always have a choice.

 
2. We are free to choose Goodness. In fact, most people are born with an innate sense of altruism and empathy. But these good qualities, like all Virtues (both natural and supernatural Virtues) are best nurtured by the words and example of parents and significant others in our life-long process of human development.

 
3. Our potential best develops in traditional (one man/one woman) family, especially when we’re young. Traditional marriage provides historic roles and moral values meant to be conveyed by Father and Mother. Same-sex attraction may be strong, but it’s no basis for moral and psychological development demanded by the God-given roles of Mother and Father.
   
   This view may rankle some people in our culture of rampant self-aggrandizement. But Matrimony is (before all else) a Divinely-instituted life-commitment in which raising and influencing children are priorities. God and Nature intend that parents are the first educators of their children. Mother and Father set the psychological, intellectual and moral standards in family. Mother and Father establish norms of behavior and belief, enforce rules and provide models of love (including “tough love,” when necessary). Their moral example and behavioral expectations are the building blocks of balanced character … often, for a lifetime.  

 
4. At every age, we need a moral compass and an intellectual framework to direct our growth in Wisdom, to inform our character, to make effective choices (Prudence), to behave in a fair manner (Justice), to courageously stay the course of Goodness (Fortitude), and to moderate our desires and avoid excesses in a mature manner (Temperance).

Responsible Maturity

5. "Maturity" means we accept personal responsibility for our actions and honor the limits of our rights and freedoms. Maturity tells us that we do not live in an ambiguous, morally-neutered universe. We cannot ignore our accountability to God, Nature and one another. We are responsible to one another; the Virtue of Prudence assures that our actions reflect our understanding of, and our gratitude for, God’s gift of life.
   
   Maturity recognizes our obligation to be emotionally available to listen to others, instead of staying encapsulated in our own little world. Maturity also recognizes that we have a serious obligation to set moral example especially for the young.

 
6. We live in various communities - work, family, church, school, friends. In all settings, our moral obligations to others exist. We may rarely be asked to fulfill these responsibilities publicly, but they exist, nonetheless, as a good conscience reveals.

The Moral Context Of Living

7. "Moral" in this context refers to the fact that no human interaction is neutral or without some deeper impact than we may realize. For example, much of what we say and do may seem trivial, but we always leave an impression with others. Much of what we say and do may influence the thoughts, reactions, judgments, perceptions and standards of other persons.


8. Our moral obligations to one another arise from our shared humanity. We are conscious, sentient beings whose thoughts and actions have consequences. We are not alone in this world … nor are we the center of the universe (though some people act as if they were). Problems arise when we do not honor accountability to other persons, even strangers. Freedom always has limits, so the exercise of our rights is always conditioned by the laws of God and Nature, by the rights of others and by the just laws and valid traditions of the culture in which we live.


9. So, our words and deeds do indeed have moral consequences. As we interact with others, we are morally accountable for what we say and do. Our moral obligations to God and one another direct us to create a better world by our presence. We must not contribute to a world of cynicism, conflict, avoidance, untruth, arrogance, vanity, violence or revenge.


10. We have the moral obligation to exert influence for better, not worse. We must, therefore, guard against moral indifference. We must avoid self-adulation and self-glorification, dismissive cynicism and incivility which are so evident in our world.

Finally . . .

Much may be said about our potential to bring Goodness and Virtue into this world. Yes, we pay a price for doing so, but doing so is the point and purpose of life. The price is worth paying.

Much of our motivation relies on who serves as our role model to live a life of Virtue. If we rely on ourselves, we rely on a flawed person who will disappoint us with aggravating regularity. That’s why the finest role model we have is the Person of Christ.

Christ endured the toughest experiences imaginable: rejection by countless people whom He had befriended, scoffed at by cynics, abandoned by His closest “friends” at His neediest times. He suffered extreme pain which we will never have to endure, and underwent excruciating crucifixion … for starters.

Some people belittle Faith in the Risen Christ. They see prayer as superstitious falderal, and find satisfaction only in self-serving behavior and demeaning others. They miss the basic truth that we are – all of us - flawed beings …. BUT we have the gifts of thought and choice. We can, if we choose, achieve great Goodness and wondrous Virtue.

We are not gods. We are, rather, God’s children, blessed with His gifts of reason and choice – gifts freely given to us by our Creator so we may invest His creation with Goodness and Virtue. And, as we do so, we fulfill the point and purpose of our lives.

When all is said and done, the price is right, and life is indeed well worth living.