Decisions of Principle--and of Preference

There comes to mind the recent remark of a young man facing some current problems and pressures: It was the utterance of one awakening to reality: “There certainly are a lot of decisions,” he said.

This is an awareness we all come to. There certainly are a lot of decisions. The very essence of life concerns decisions—the matter of making choices.

Some decisions should, of course, take time; some should wait for matters to mature. But there are some decisions that could take too much time—some that we could wrestle with too long, and to no good purpose. There are some choices we should decide swiftly—and then let them alone. And we could simplify many decisions by separating them into two convenient categories: decisions of principle and decisions of preference.

As to decisions of principle we shouldn’t really waste much time on clear-cut questions of right and wrong. “Thou shalt not steal,” for example, is clear-cut. “Thou shalt not bear false witness” is clear-cut. “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” is clear-cut. Many such decisions are clearly covered by the commandments, and we should waste a whole lifetime wrestling with what ought to be more or less automatic.

(Being without standards in making such decisions would be like trying to so business without standards of weight or money or measure. Suppose we didn’t have an inch or a foot or a dollar—or a pint or a pound—and had to quibble about every length and measure and amount!) The decisions of principle should be more or less automatic.

In this we are reminded of what Mencius said in one strong, short sentence: “Let men decide firmly what they will not do, and they will be free to do vigorously what they ought to do.”

And now as to decisions of preference—as to what suit we should select, or what course to we should study, what job we should take: For such decisions we have to consider ourselves, our qualifications, our personal preferences, and those of others also, and, in the more weighty matters, thoughtfully, prayerfully, think things through.

In the matter of making decisions, there is no easy all-inclusive answer, but at least some of the essential decisions can be somewhat simplified if we distinguish between decisions of principle and decisions of preference, and then have the courage and the character swiftly to settle the decisions of principle, and not waste time wrestling with clear-cut matters of right and wrong.