The topic of individuality intrigues me. I had a friend who once said that the goal of life was to erase oneself so thoroughly that we because totally transparent. The reason was so that when people looked at us, they would see through ourselves straight to Christ.
I liked that visual, but there was always something that didn’t quite sit right with the metaphor for me. I believe we were, everyone of us, made on purpose with a uniqueness that should be celebrated. I am not talking about self-glorification or self service or worship. I am talking about the child-like delight in doing a job well and using our qualities to serve the Lord in distinctive ways.
If we become so transparent that an observer cannot tell one of us from the next, that could frankly be a little creepy. When Christ described the Church and explained the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I think individualism was clearly an essential part of the makeup. The body has different parts with different jobs. The Holy Spirit bestows on this one the gift of teaching, and on this one the gift of hospitality.
It is only in the coming together that we become whole. I think about those cool effects that happen when cards are put in the seats at a stadium and the fans are to hold them up at a certain time. As each person does his part, holding up a single card, a huge image is revealed. So cool!
We are the same way. As we contribute what we have been given (gifts, experiences, and personality) we create an image of Christ and His Bride that is breathtaking.
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