A woman selects a nice looking dress from aclothes rack in a store. Simultaneously she becomes aware that asecond lady wearing the same dress has just walked out of thedressing room while a third lady stands in front of a mirror, againdressed identical. She replaces the beautiful dress on therack.
A man standing at the baggage claim in an airporttries to identify his luggage from what appears to be an endlessstream of look-a-likes. He shakes his head in dismay.
If you have seen the previous televisioncommercial, the message is clear and it appeals directly to thevalues of our American culture. Be your own person. Be different.Stand up for yourself and make your own way. America is the landwhere the spirit of individualism has taken root andthrives.
Like most any element of human culture,individualism carries with it both blessing and peril. When theculture of being your own person and following your own path clasheswith the Lordship of Jesus, the unexamined response can bedisastrous.
Consider the American who falsely views hisrelationship with God as being primarily about his or her ownpersonal walk with God. Instead of being fulfilled through ourindividual relationship with God, scripture describes God placing usinto a covenant community where each member is to function for thebenefit of others.1
Or take the American who likes to discover his orher own path. Jesus' call presents a stark contrast, the invitationto conform to his image. While Jesus is not calling all of us toexhibit the same personality, God's people are to share the samevalues and to grow toward reflecting the likeness of Jesus.2 What Ithink is good, right and best, is to be shaped not by my thinkums,but Christ.
While individualism has encouraged Americans tothink for themselves and to be self-motivated, unbridledindividualism has downplayed the church distorting how God's peoplethink about their relationship to God and to other Christians. Whenit comes to a Christian outlook on life, "Jesus is Lord," not "I didit my way."
Being a child of God does not revolve around yourpersonal meditation or sitting alone on a mountain top experiencingGod. What is Christian? "Speaking the truth in love, we will in allthings grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From whomthe whole body, joined and held together by every supportingligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does itwork."3
1/ 1 Corinthians 12:14-31
2/ Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18
3/ Ephesians 4:15-16 NIV
Barry Newton, Copyright © 2005
Other Articles Which Might Be ofInterest
The King and the KingdomA Picture Doesn't Lie! - Or Does It?
The Way of the Cross (Examples of how the cross should shape our life)
Getting A Grip on Tolerance, Acceptance and Inclusion
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