Mastering Self

Mastering self is commitment to a cause with conviction of conscience that transcends self. Mortal self is created by the person—distinct from immortal soul created by God. Self is courted by culture and politics with a propensity to ignore the lessons of history and practical philosophy by replacing timeless virtues with personal values. Consequently, mastering self has cultural, political, historical, philosophical, and theological implications.

Our culture is consumed by idols, materialism, technology gadgets, and entertainment where the mindset of most persons is entitlement to benefits provided by government, employer, or health insurance. Most of us live like kings with income and wealth compared to the rest of the world. Check globalrichlist.com to remove any doubt. But what about the immortal soul? Most in our culture ignore this question. Mastering self doesn’t ignore it.

Mastering self involves an understanding that doesn’t exist naturally in the human condition. It is cultivated by lifelong learning. This commentary is for serious thinkers who want to clarify their worldview and become what they should be. It consists of timeless truths and virtues for reference, reflection, or contemplative study. Understanding them strengthens personal relationships. Embracing them increases personal influence. Practicing them benefits anyone responsible for other people: parent, teacher, supervisor, manager, administrator, executive, or command officer in military, police, and fire services.

This commentary consists of 175 one-page essays—white papers—for concise, clear construct and context organized for coherence and continuity. A few brief comments provide provenance for these papers: written initially to clarify my worldview beliefs and core ethos juxtaposed with God’s Word and manner of living. Some were shared with my students during 14 years as professor at a small liberal arts college teaching police and law courses: some were shared with 100 persons in 20 states. Then 275, regarding leadership and issues in life, were published in my last book Mastering Self subtitled to Lead Self and Others: a book that concludes with my Scot heritage and memoirs as a police chief and police professor. Since publication an additional 175 white papers provide the basis for this book with the same title but subtitled a Biblically Based Commentary.

Arranging these papers for coherence and continuity involves interpretation of information, issues, ideas, and ideals for cogent context. Part 1 includes those directly or indirectly related to culture, politics, history, or philosophy—not classical, but practical that applies to daily living and pertains to truth, reality, logic, decisions, ethics, casuistry, political persuasion, and aesthetics, viz., true beauty and taste in literature, music, and art. Part 2 includes those directly or indirectly related to theology. Some are arranged according similarity of topic and some in sequence, viz., those regarding the eternal Judge and a series pertaining to the Warrior-King. Part 2 concludes with two comprehensive papers for serious thinkers who want to understand the forensic purpose of Yeshua’s death compared with the objective of His atoning blood—the cross distinguished from the mercy seat: satisfaction for God’s justice compared with redemption for release from sin’s bondage. A subject index is included at the end. These papers are intended to be read one at a time for reflection and contemplation on a particular topic. They may be read consecutively or selectively regarding personal need or interest.

Mastering self is a lifelong endeavor—a journey that involves journaling through white papers to clarify my basic beliefs and principles that form my code of conduct: what to follow after, fight for, flee from, and be faithful to. This journey requires discerning the times (Lk. 12:56) and understanding the lay of the land (Jer. 12:11): what to shun, what not to ignore, what to avoid, what to embrace, and what to exploit. These conditions and circumstances provide construct and context during the conflict that confronts in a culture consumed with consumption and credit (aka debt) that competes with well-being of soul by promoting self—self-fulfillment, self-indulgence, and self-gratification.

For the purpose of full disclosure: My spiritual pedigree is Publican: pardoned by his penitential plea to God—Be merciful to me a sinner. My heritage is Scotland—26th generation and significant for influence within the Covenanter-Puritan tradition. My conscience has a faithful companion—the Scot within. My education involves lifelong learning—a gentleman scholar. My worldview is biblical—an interpretative lens to discern truth and reality. My theological persuasion is biblicist—not religionist. My political persuasion is very conservative—at odds with a bloated, federal bureaucracy and deficit spending. My social persuasion is self-reliance—not self-sufficiency. My lifestyle embraces simplicity—not clutter. My financial prudence is practical—keep the bureaucrats, brokers, and bankers away from my billfold. My economy is frugal—use it up, wear it out, make do, and do without. My preference is edification—not trivia. My interests include chess and great books—a bibliophile. My mindset is skeptical—inclined to doubt and question. My philosophy is Stoic—disciplined choice for what really matters. My perspective is old school—timeless truths and virtues. My pastime is armchair theologian, backseat philosopher,

and amateur historian. These factors determine what follows in this biblically based commentary regarding Mastering Self.