individuality

In response to a post here, by the lead singer of Anberlin...

...and by "in response to", I probably just mean "to explore the themes of", 'coz I don't think I say anything much new...

In the West, our individuality is important to us, but that false and destructive amalgamation of two into one is so dangerously easy for us... I think maybe its because we're made to live in unity and in community. I mean, the false amalgamation that Stephen Christian talks about is one person with another, but one person with a community is a totally different thing, and yet inextricably related. There is something about life in community that delinearises relationships (in which I include friendships, of course) enough for them to be more healthy, more constructive and more inclusive than they would be otherwise. Likewise, there is something about relationships between two people, and them with others, and so on, that enrichens the life of the whole community.

I remember once hearing a bishop (or archdeacon, I can't quite remember) from the Congo talk at an Easter convention in Katoomba while he was visiting Australia, and he rebuked us (all 3000 of us who were present) for having such an individualistic culture, particularly in regard to our Christian lives. Our communities have broken down, and it seems that we've fallen back upon our individualism, which has furthered the downfall of our communities, and so on. While it's important to remember ourselves, it is absolutely essential to remember each other as well. None of us stand alone, despite all impressions to the contrary - as a sufferer of depression, I know how alone one can feel, but as one who has received treatment, I know how illusory is this sensation. Furthermore, for those of us who are in Christ, God has given to us as a gift the Christian community that we are a part of. Bonhoeffer wrote that we shouldn't complain of what we've been given, but as thankful recipients we should thank God daily for what He has provided us with. Being thankful implies remembrance, and Biblical remembrance always implies action.

Action requires a driving power, and God has given that to us. As Paul said to Timothy in his first letter to him (I think it's his first letter anyway), God didn't give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of love, of power and of self-discipline. Hehee... I'm really thankful for that memory verse I learnt at school! Love moves the heart to want to act, power enables the action, and self-discipline is to make sure you keep using both of these. Among other things of course. At 11:30pm, it's always hard to remember the point I was trying to get accross, but I believe it to be that all of these qualities are given to individuals, and all are for the benefit of other individuals and the community. If you lose sight of yourself, you won't be able to see the loving, empowering and self-disciplining spirit that is at work in you through Christ (and never forget that is is only through Christ), and if you lose sight of those around you and the community that you're in, you won't be able to see how to best use these things. Both awareness of self in Christ and awareness of others must be a present reality in our lives. I guess it even follows from what Jesus said were the greatest commandments: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength" implies both an awareness of what your "all" is, and that you know that but for God's grace you are nothing, since your "all" is for Him and not you; "Love your neighbour as yourself" implies that you know who your "neighbour" is and that you know how to love them, and hence that you know their needs.

I hope that's at least a little bit clear, because I really think it's important, having experienced this gone wrong on both extremes (even at the same time! go figure). I guess that I would sum up by saying that the healthiest relationships, and I would also say the healthiest communities, are relationships and communities made up of individuals who know who they are but who also know that they don't, and can't, stand alone.