When in when I was in Viet Nam [US Army] 1964-1965. Most of my platoon members were about my age [20-21] and to this day now I can see all of their faces in my mind just like they were over 50 years ago...unchanged. Two of them that never made it home alive I see that way just the same as all those who did come back. The ones who lived on as I did have certainly changed and perhaps I would not even recognize them today if I were to see them... I cannot forget the faces and for me there is only one unchanged face.I went back to edit because I do that a lot and I wanted to be clear. I used to think that man beholding his natural face, that goes his way and forgets what manner of man he was. As a good thing. For instance I’ll remember their sins no more.
Not so my brothers who I have known all of my life. I can remember how they looked in years past and what they look like today. More than one image in my mind for each of them.
Where are we ourselves in this? Have we forgotten where we were in our own past and how we looked? Was it different than it is today?
Now I am old, a bit overweight, quite sparse on the top [nearly bald headed], wrinkled and comparatively frail... Do I see only that or do I see also anything of the young man pictured in my foto albums and memories?But now with the reference to deceiving themselves…I question if remembering what manner of man he was, is what keeps him from exalting himself and deceiving himself which then causes hatred and being lifted up against his brothers. Does that make sense? Example did Paul forget what he had done to Stephen? If like Moses, Saul looked into the bush burning with Fire …Saul may have looked away to go his way and forget what manner of man he was. Instead did Paul continue therein …”Saul, Saul why persecute thou Me?” “Who are you Lord?” seeing Stephen and His death which he had consented to and kept the garments of those who stoned Stephen, why was the burning bush not consumed by the presence of the Fire?
Personality, attitudes toward people, loved or hated or indifferent? Have we changed since we met Jesus? Look to Paul as you have described him before he met Jesus and afterward...