Does he know who he is?
Several things we do as human beings are difficult to interpret. What makes them difficult is their similarity to other things we do. For example, Peter Berger said, “It is possible to view social reality with compassion or with cynicism, both attitudes being compatible with clear-sightedness.”*
My “take” on Berger’s point is identical actions can be driven by dramatically different motives. One person might be kind because they look at the world through the lens of compassion. Another person might be kind because they want to look good to their peers. There is no way for us on the outside to tell.
The Apostle Paul talks about how he has been willing to be weak to the weak, to be a Jew to the Jews, etc. not because he is a spineless person with no convictions but instead so his message has the best chance of being heard.
* Berger, Peter L. Invitation to Sociology: A Humanistic Perspective. Penguin, USA. 1963.
As always, drop me a line if you have any comments to make or input of any sort.
Blessings,
