A question for Lent: How do we see human nature? Or, in the title of a novel I am trying to read by David Szalay – “All that man is”.
I ask because the traditional way faith speaks about this is now very different from how much of society sees the question. We are encouraged in our society to emphasise praise and achievement. There is much good sense in this: it builds up self -confidence and self-worth, which are keys to success and perhaps to happiness. It is, though, in contrast to my old-fashioned school reports which were often somewhat discouraging and negative – words and phrases like “disappointing” and “could do better”, seemed used liberally. These comments did not help or encourage me.
But if dangers lurk in the attitude of my school teachers, they also lurk in an over emphasis on praise: we can avoid facing our weaknesses and our mistakes and perhaps end up with a view of ourselves far from reality. I sometimes mention the man who is on his fifth marriage and tells people that the other four wives were all impossible! He is of course the common denominator! How self-aware are we?
So, there is a dilemma: too much reality can make us seem failures and be discouraging; too much praise can make us feel complacent and self-satisfied.
The Christian understanding of human nature, I think, succeeds in holding these together and in a creative way. It does not pretend all is well with us. How can it be when we see the level of injustice, human-made grief and sadness and inequality in the world? It takes this seriously and our responsibility for it – and also for the many ways, at least I, fall short of loving my neighbour as myself. But, at the same time, my faith tells me God forgives me and I – as all humans – am infinitely precious to him. Faith uses the phrases fallen, (to face the bad bit) and made in the image of God (the good bit). Jesus’ life, death and resurrection show us true love in action (his life) and both the cost (his death) and power (the resurrection). In this narrative, I can have the courage to face my failures in love without it leading to negativity. I know I am loved and God wants me to get up, say sorry and then look to the future secure in God’s love.
I came across a line I had missed from Eliot’s Four Quartets, which I think points to this, (and in a deeper way than my prose!): “we had the experience but missed the meaning.” I also came across a poem I had never seen before, which sheds a light on our nature, our failure and our hope in God’s love. It is called A little prayer for Samson and Delilah by a living poet, Diane Tripp:
When all virtue
Like Samson’s Rastafarian locks
Lies strewn about us,
Have mercy, Lord,
On those who sleep in weakness
And those who have shorn us of strength.
Like the growing stubble on Samson’s head,
Let us be renewed to undertake
The phenomenal as a matter of course
When we awaken
From the lap of philistine ease.
Peter