It’s easy to crack on our culture, in particular, our penchant for selfish individuality.  You’ll often hear phrases like, “Well, ultimately it’s not about THEM is it?” Implying it’s ultimately just about yourself.  We celebrate the self in ways extreme and dangerous.  

In response to our individualistic society, Christians preach and try to practice a self-giving rather than selfishness.  Jesus is held up as the ultimate example of self sacrifice, and we’re told to do as he did.  Of course, this extreme–total selflessness–can be really dangerous, and is ultimately unfaithful in practice.  Too often, especially for women, the giving of oneself for others becomes dangerous and abusive.  Lack of self-respect and self-dignity is no good either.

Enter Shirley Guthrie.  

As human beings created in the image of God, we can realize our distinctive individuality only in and for the sake of community with God and other people; and we can live in true community with them only as we respect, preserve, and defend our own unique individuality and that of other people.  True individuality and true community cannot be separated; each has to be understood in inseperable connection with the other… [Christian Doctrine, p. 209]

May more of us better walk this balance beam of Christian individuality and community.

image by spekulator