Nov
28
2009
Two Kinds of Popularity
Tim Keller has a helpful post here on two kinds of popularity, as expressed by John Calvin:
the one, when we seek favor from motives of ambition and the desire of pleasing;
the other, when, by fairness and moderation, we gain their esteem so as to make them teachable by us.
As Keller puts it:
The first motive will so control us that we will never offend people.
The second motive will help us choose our battles and not offend people unnecessarily.
Keller rightly warns against the thinking that does not see any distinction in these two modes of adaptation and accommodation.
Read the whole thing.
HT: @DarrinPatrick