philosophybits:

“The less somebody knows and understands himself the less great he is, however great may be his talent.”

— Ludwig Wittgenstein, Culture and Value

There is a fascinating dynamic in self-understanding. In one sense, the more we focus on ourselves the more disconnected we are from our own identity. We simply focus on our wants, our needs, our desires. Yet who we truly are is not found in any of these things.

It is only in a focus outside of ourselves that we see as if in a mirror. Every face we encounter is our own. Every misdeed we receive is an action that has originated from ourselves. We are identified and clarified in the other.

Is it no wonder that Simon only understood who he was after seeing Christ as He is? Simon – you are not a fisherman as you have always thought. No. You are Peter. The Rock. And on you, will I build My church.