A Thousand Small Decisions
I heard a powerful message by N. T. Wright in which he refuted the idea that the landing on the Hudson River a year ago was a “miracle on the Hudson.” It wasn’t so much a miracle, Wright says, but the result of a lifetime by a competent pilot. It was a landing that a novice pilot couldn’t have hoped for. In two or three minutes, he went through lots of little actions and several big decisions. When he told the people in the tower that he was landing in the Hudson, they weren’t sure what he’d said because his voice was so calm.
Shut down the engine . . . set the right speed . . . get the nose down . . . turn off the autopilot . . . seal the vents and valves . . . turn to face south with the Hudson’s flow . . . .
And Captain Sully did it without consulting a manual! (What would you look under in the manual? “F” for “flock of geese” . . . “G” for just “geese” . . . “H” for Hudson River?)
Wright said that virtue is like this. It is what happens when wise and courageous choices have become second nature. It is what results from a thousand small decisions.
So how about that as a theme for 2010: “a thousand small decisions”?
that’s an awesome idea, Mike! I wish we had thought of it in time for 2010 — I might suggest it to our planning group for 2011, though. I remember listening to that lecture and being really excited about the potential of sharing virtue.
By the way, I assume this will be his focus in his upcoming After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters
, which I already have on order.
And when done right, it is thrilling!
I’m thinking about how this truth applies everywhere: in marriage, in parenting, in discipleship, in friendship, in hobbies, in skills, in music, etc.
Angela – you are correct. I think this concept is called “mastery” which means that doing the right thing is second nature.
By the way, I’ve always thought that phrase odd – “second nature.” Don’t we mean “first nature” since it has become the default behavior?
Why wait for 2011? Every day is the start of a new year. qb
Might I add that one chooses or does not choose to invest in the time it takes to PRACTISE thousands of little actions before they become second-nature. Much like an airline pilot or a musician, etc. Our society expects miraculous results in a second, and feels entitled to them, without appreciating efforts/skills honed over time.
I guess I do not understand your query about ‘second nature’, Mike. As a pianist, (organist, musician, conductor) I have had to work hours to make certain physical movements become seamless and in harmony with my thoughts.
This is a good reminder. Thanks, Mike!
And then….there are the folks that I deal with all the time, who make the thousand wrong decisions. It is the lifetime habit of angry and disallusioned people, who feel that making a good decision is somehow—wrong.
Going to church…? wrong, every time. Using cleaner language? are you kidding me? and a million more platforms from which to make bad decisions, again and again. But, there is one bad decision they often go to some lengths to avoid: attending church with all those hypocrites.
Nice blog…thank you. And, glad you are not quoting from Jeremiah Wright.
blueridge
Indeed, the decisions matter. The burning question (with a complex answer) is how do we make a thousand small decisions in the right direction when our first nature is described as “children of wrath?” Developing the skills of a pilot doesn’t happen in the face of an opposing force (a random flock of geese perhaps, but not organized opposition). Becoming a successful pilot doesn’t tread on Satan’s turf. Developing virtue, and more than that, spiritual gifts, happens on the battlefield of the conflicted self where flesh and spirit collide in a war of epic proportions. And a qualification should be added that Satan really doesn’t give a rip if we develop virtue in order to reach the goal as described by Aristotle or his teacher (Plato), for that matter. Virtue, for the sake of happiness, can be developed with much effort and loads of discipline. But when virtue aims toward the kingdom of God, or as Wright might put it, the Eschaton, Revelation draws images that are sobering if not frightening. Therefore, if we are to point people toward a life of virtue achieved by a thousand small decisions then we better have the shepherding chops to help the traveler navigate the treacherous pathway or else we’ll only get people in the plane, on the runway, and perhaps in flight with predictable engine failure, no landing gear, and no Hudson. We will only invite disaster. In 15 years of ministry (before giving up on the project), I never met a shepherd qualified for this task, nor any who even thought it was on the radar of concern (yes, I know they are out there, I just never met any of them). Virtue and/or spiritual gifts were just supposed to happen (at least in my experience) as a result of teaching and taking a few notes during sermons—a confusion about theory and practice refuted explicitly by a pagan like Aristotle 2400 years ago yet all but forgotten in the 21st century church. Landing an airplane on the Hudson doesn’t require a miracle, just practice and experience. Becoming god-like (in Peter’s words) does—but it’s a miracle that happens in a particular context; human responsibility both in terms of wise shepherding and disciplined following.
ben overby,
DoO, Pediatric Acute Care and Southeastern Cardiology
What a great opportunity Capt. Sullenberger had to attribute his success to God and not himself. When people praised the Apostles for what they’d done, the Apostles redirected the praise to the one who is worthy, not themselves. I agree that the Capt.’s training and skill, along with the crew, played a major part in that “miracle on the Hudson”, but I kept waiting for him to “give props” to God. I’ve not read Sully’s book, so perhaps he did there what he failed to do in a camera. How many people’s attention could have been directed to God if Sully had corrected the headline to “God’s mercy on the Hudson”?
Good point, Thomas, about the affect of wrong decisions as opposed to the habit of making correct decisions. Thank God for grace!
Regarding “inviting disaster” if shepherds don’t equip travelers from the start of their journey to the finish, aren’t ministers in “recruiting” and God in “management”? There is work to be done by elders, deacons, and fellow believers. And if there’s no failure in life, there’s no room for grace. If we need rain in life to draw closer to God, then, as Mercy Me sang, then Jesus bring the rain.
Kudos, Russ!
Well said. None of us are all that important…we all help, and Jesus gives the increase.
Blueridge
Russ,
Doesn’t God delegate? Doesn’t Paul indicate that he “gives” some to be apostles, shepherds, teachers, etc. in ep. 4, and for a specific reason–so that we can be built up in stature to the fullness of Christ?
Grace doesn’t exist to simply patch up our failures. It exist to strengthen us for virtue, character, the sort king-like life Paul mentions, as well as John. As Tom Wright pointed out in the lecture Mike referred to, we have a tough time moving in the direction of virtue because we think, Well, Jesus died for our sins, so what’s the point. Why do we need virtue when we’re forgiven. That belief is evident in churches across the western hemisphere. That is, Christians are no more likely to be virtuous than an atheist.
As Dallas Willard points out in his lecture series on the kingdom, the sinner uses some grace, but it’s the Christian determined to grow in Him, to develop Christliknness, who burns grace like a 747 burns fuel at takeoff. I’d say it like this; being a sinner requires grace. Being good requires much, much more grace (that is, God’s creative energy in our life).
Ben