Prudence: a necessary virtue for every musician
I know, I know. The virtue of prudence sounds – well, prudish, and old-fashioned, and maybe irrelevant in modern life. But hear me out. This virtue, first recognized by the Ancient Greek philosophers, is actually very necessary for any person to live a well-ordered life, and that includes every musician.
What is prudence?
I’m so glad you asked. The most simple definition of prudence, given to us by the great theologian St. Thomas Aquinas, is “right reason in action.” The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes into more detail:
“Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it; "the prudent man looks where he is going." "Keep sane and sober for your prayers.' “Prudence is "right reason in action," writes St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle. It is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity or dissimulation. It is called auriga virtutum (the charioteer of the virtues); it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure. It is prudence that immediately guides the judgment of conscience. The prudent man determines and directs his conduct in accordance with this judgment. With the help of this virtue we apply moral principles to particular cases without error and overcome doubts about the good to achieve and the evil to avoid.” – CCC 1806
Essentially, prudence allows us to make a good decision based on what’s in front of us and what we know to be right, and then follow through with that decision. It’s that simple!
What does prudence look like in action as a musician?
Here’s a few real-life examples of prudence in action as a musician:
You’re a private music teacher in the middle of working with a student on a difficult passage. At a certain point, you notice your student has started to cry, even though they’re trying to hide it. What do you do now? The virtue of prudence allows you to look at the situation at hand, evaluate your student and their needs, and act on it. Perhaps it’s time to take a break, or maybe there’s something deeper going on (for instance, this particular student has difficulties with perfectionism and a kind, compassionate conversation on it is overdue).
You’re taking a difficult theory class and a very stressful exam is coming up. You also happen to have a recital you’re giving around the same time, an orchestra concert the week after, and a major research paper due in another class shortly beforehand. Did I mention your anniversary with your significant other is coming up and you wanted to surprise him/her with fun plans? Using the virtue of prudence, you take the time to evaluate everything you need to do, figure out where to prioritize and what can move down on the priorities list, and make a game plan. And then you act on that game plan, adjusting as you go along if needed.
You’re a church musician in a parish with a vibrant music ministry, but with a pastor who doesn’t necessarily get why music matters so much in the liturgy. You have an important meeting with your pastor coming up soon, and you know he’s going to want to talk about the annual music ministry budget. Prudence is a must for preparing to go into this conversation. Are there strategies you can use to convey the needs of your music ministry that have worked in the past? Would it be helpful if you came prepared with a visual breakdown of last year’s budget and how it’s been used? The virtue of prudence can help you enter into what could potentially be a difficult conversation with a sense of preparation and calm.
At this point, you might be thinking, “Ok, you’ve convinced me. i need to grow in prudence – but how?”
Prudence, though easy to describe, can be harder to follow through. This is because we’re all a bit broken, and that’s just a fact of life. Growth and healing are important for us as humans to move forward in a positive direction. Here’s a few practical tips on growing in prudence:
Evaluate yourself: what might be keeping you from acting prudent? Do you tend to see the world as very black-and-white, with little room for nuance? It might be time to learn how to see the world with more nuance and room for compassion, mercy, and an acceptance of where others are at in their own lives. Do you find yourself frequently making impulsive decisions on the go without taking the time to consider if your decisions are the right ones to make? Spontaneity can be a good thing, but it’s best in moderation; and it’s important to make sure we’re considering the way our decisions impact our lives and the lives of those around us. Hint: when you evaluate yourself, I encourage you to invite God into your evaluation. Ask Him to show you any areas where you might need to grow in prudence!
Practice prudence in the little things. We cannot apply our good habits to big things without having the foundation of good habits in the little things. It’s like the parable of the man who built his house on sand vs the man who built his house on rock. When the storms of life inevitably come, it’s far more difficult to choose what’s good if we haven’t made choices to exercise good habits in the everyday tasks and encounters of life. Along these lines, making a prudent choice when it comes to major decisions will be far more difficult to do if we haven’t already practiced making prudent decisions in the little things of life.
This one might be the most important: ask God for the graces to grow in prudence. While prudence is possible for us to achieve on our own, we can “take a shortcut” when we ask God for His grace to grow in prudence and accept those graces. Growth in prudence will happen far more quickly with God’s help than when we rely on our own selves.
As you can see, prudence, though it may sound old-fashioned and maybe irrelevant, is actually highly relevant for every person. When you cultivate this virtue and take the time to grow in this good habit, you will find that it will change your life and impact the lives of those you encounter because ultimately prudence helps us to act more in a Christ-like manner.
And, at the end of the day, that’s what really matters. All that we do in this life will amount to dust if we aren’t growing closer to Christ and becoming more like Him along the way. Prudence is one way – and a very important way, too – that will help us become more and more like Christ.
