When we sit and reflect on our lives sometimes it is helpful to do a self evaluation. Sometimes these surveys can be convicting. It is helpful, because we know we can be honest with ourselves when we are the only audience. Why, then are so many people not honest with themselves? Perhaps it is because the truth (and subsequently; health) is sometimes temporarily more painful than being comfortably unhealthy.
Our culture has cultivated a fertile soil in which an unhealthy heart can flourish. It is so easy to build a wall of pleasure, self deceit, and perpetual disappointment around oneself until our own values, faith, and freedom are eroded.
There is an interesting trend that has been popular for many years, and is apparent in every area of life. It is the trend of individuality. This idea has been encouraged for a long time because so many people in our society have an aversion to being labeled in a certain way, associated with a certain group, or compared to another person. People that desire to be unique and different sometimes want to be noticed, and other times want to be isolated. Some people want to be flashy and wear a lot of jewelry, and others want to dress in all black. Either way, if the person were to be asked, they would call it their personal style that they have developed to be different.
Unique individuality is actually a healthy desire as long as it is accompanied with the passion to lead and influence in a positive direction. If all of the individuals that make up a society wish to be unique from everyone else, then the focus becomes solely inward and all parties are disconnected.
If we were to be honest with ourselves about why we want to be a person that stands out, ironically, we find it is because we want to hide something about ourselves. We are not happy with who we were made to be and desire no association with a larger group with certain characteristics…not because there is an aversion to this group, but because we have seen no good example to help guide us. We end up realizing that this attempt to always be different than everyone else controls us.
Our calling as human beings is to be a cog in the larger system that is the body of Christ. We are called to unite and make this world better…together.
Be real. Be who God made you to be.
This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. For the original post with comments, go to: http://other-words.net/2012/12/27/tyranny-of-the-unique/
BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.
Our culture has cultivated a fertile soil in which an unhealthy heart can flourish. It is so easy to build a wall of pleasure, self deceit, and perpetual disappointment around oneself until our own values, faith, and freedom are eroded.
There is an interesting trend that has been popular for many years, and is apparent in every area of life. It is the trend of individuality. This idea has been encouraged for a long time because so many people in our society have an aversion to being labeled in a certain way, associated with a certain group, or compared to another person. People that desire to be unique and different sometimes want to be noticed, and other times want to be isolated. Some people want to be flashy and wear a lot of jewelry, and others want to dress in all black. Either way, if the person were to be asked, they would call it their personal style that they have developed to be different.
Unique individuality is actually a healthy desire as long as it is accompanied with the passion to lead and influence in a positive direction. If all of the individuals that make up a society wish to be unique from everyone else, then the focus becomes solely inward and all parties are disconnected.
If we were to be honest with ourselves about why we want to be a person that stands out, ironically, we find it is because we want to hide something about ourselves. We are not happy with who we were made to be and desire no association with a larger group with certain characteristics…not because there is an aversion to this group, but because we have seen no good example to help guide us. We end up realizing that this attempt to always be different than everyone else controls us.
Our calling as human beings is to be a cog in the larger system that is the body of Christ. We are called to unite and make this world better…together.
Be real. Be who God made you to be.
This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. For the original post with comments, go to: http://other-words.net/2012/12/27/tyranny-of-the-unique/
BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.
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