To the excessively fearful the chief characteristic of power is its arbitrariness. Man had to gain enormously in confidence before he could conceive an all-powerful God who obeys his own laws.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Fearful people see power as random and uncontrollable. True confidence allows one to see power operating under consistent, lawful principles.
- In plain terms
- When you are scared, power seems random; when confident, it seems orderly.
- What can you take from it?
- Confidence helps you understand that power follows rules.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do we fear power?
- How do laws influence our view of authority?
Another view
Power can sometimes be arbitrary regardless of one's confidence level.
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