Many people know me by the hat I wear. They recognize, enjoy, and wonder aloud as to who the person is beneath the black wool. Some have, over time, posed the question of the difference with and without the hat. Am I the same person? Do I put on a persona with the hat? What drives the occasional moment when I am seen outside of my traditional attire?
Metaphorically we face these questions everyday. Are you the same person when those close to you are not? What type of person emerges in the quiet solitude? Do vacations bring out a different side of the personality?
In my story there was a difference that disappeared long ago. When I first was gifted with the hat I found that my behavior with the hat was distinctly different from the times I was not in the hat. At first I was confused, naturally assuming that the wearing the hat was my time of acting a role that I did not recognize or believe in. With time and reflection I discovered exactly the opposite! When I compared the person I was in the quiet of the night, when nobody was looking I found that the values, priorities, action, activities, and fears were more alike to the person wearing the hat than without. As I gave into this person I found myself becoming increasingly myself on a 24×7 basis.
Each carries a wide range of different versions of our self. While we may desire to act consistently it is hard, difficult, and problematic. Knowing that one behaves differently is often assumed to be natural. So why should one be different? Besides, which one is the real me?
It is in our answers that life can come into focus. To know one’s model presents the opportunity to give one self to the pattern. Experiencing truth will change one from the inside out. In Jesus’ story the real person came through in actions.
“Jesus defended himself. ‘My Father is working straight through, even on the Sabbath. So am I.’” (John 5.17)
