PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

January 1, 2025

A PRE-COMMITMENT TO VIRTURE

At a low point in his expedition to Africa to find David Livingston, Henry Morton Stanley sat down one evening and wrote the following to himself: “I have taken a solemn enduring oath, an oath to be kept while the last hope of life remains in me, not to be tempted to break the resolution I have formed, never to give up the search, until I find Livingstone alive or find him dead. …  No living man or living men, shall stop me, only death can prevent me.  But death – not even this; I shall not die, I will not die, I cannot die.” (“Smithsonian,” Dec. 2011, pp. 81-82)

                Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney in an article in the December 2011 “Smithsonian” identify Stanley’s note to himself as a part of his strategy of pre-commitment.  Pre-commitment is taking prevention actions so that when one’s willpower might be tested by overpowering forces one will be able to withstand the challenge.  It is pre-committing oneself to virtue.

Baumeister and Tierney make reference to Odysseus and his men’s pre-commitment to get past the deadly songs of the Sirens. On the one hand Odysseus has himself lashed to the mast of his ship and tells his men not to untie him no matter how much he might plead.  On the other hand his men plug their ears so that they will not be able to hear the Sirens’ song.

The crew of Odysseus’ ship made a pre-commitment to avoid the temptations of the songs of the Sirens by not placing themselves in their path.  One can pre-commit oneself to virtue by not entering or entertaining places of vice.  Parents can prevent their children from vices on the internet by installing blocks and filters that do not allow them to be seen or heard.

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to avoid vices no matter how many preventative fences we might build.  Knowing this, Morton Stanley locked himself into a virtuous path by means of his private letter, newspaper dispatches, and public utterances.  Anticipating the day when he knew that his past would be thoroughly scrutinized, he did not do anything that might become a “smoking gun” to tarnish his reputation.

Another element maintaining his pre-commitment to virtue was a rigid self-discipline.  Even in the most difficult of situations, Stanley made it a point to shave every morning.  He once told his wife, “I always presented as decent an appearance as possible, both for self-discipline and for self-respect.” (“Smithsonian,” p. 82)  Stanley saw a link between external order and inner self-discipline.

The beginning of a new year is a time to make resolutions.  I would like to suggest that we all might consider making for 2012 a pre-commitment to virtue.  To help us keep this resolution we can block out vices wherever possible; we can lock ourselves into a life of virtue by our words and actions; and we daily can practice self-control.

Paul in his letter to the Philippians suggests an additional way that we might pre-commit ourselves to a life of virtue.  “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8)

(This article was originally published January 1, 2012.  Comments may be sent to davidh15503@embarqmail.com.)