In my last post I blasted away a little at the Western notion of independence. It has positives but, especially for those of us in the faith, it can exact a high cost. However, like most things dependence can be taken to an extreme or ill founded. One example is dependence on things that define you. Corporations discovered that people (and especially teens) are defining who they are but what they own. Skeptical? Remember these ads http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z0Ia5jDt4 that divide people into "macs" and "PCs"? Isn't the point of this ad that what computer you use defines who you are? Of course PC had to remind us that, "I am Windows 7." There are thousands of other products that are marketed to people looking for identity.
Another means of dependence that is not healthy is dependence on relationships to define us. The need to be dating or in a relationship in order to feel complete. This notion has transformed the high school dating scene from puppy love and bouts of jealousy to vicious online intimidation, outbursts of violence or worse. Any relationship where the lines of individuality are blurred is bordering on overly dependent and unhealthy.
How do we live in close community and yet maintain a healthy independence? First, I would say that you have to consider your role in the community. If you can define your place and highlight your unique cotribution to the whole you are in a healthy place. Also, I would say consider the outcomes. Does your relying on others better the whole? Or, is your dependence draining the whole (maybe someone else's dependence on you is draining you). One example of this are the marketers who profit from your dependence on their product. In the church the entire body is blessed from healthy dependence on one another. Finally, I need to know how God would define me. What did God create me to be and do?
2 comments:
A simple short-winded answer to this two-part question is due! Hopefully it makes sense. God created us to be "in Him and He in us because he loves us and wants communion with us(1 John 4:15-17)." In our independence, we define who we are. We independantly choose to love God and our brothers (1 John 4:21) or choose to be independant from love and communion with God and our brothers.
The independence issue is so vital here- good point Long! If we were not able to freely choose God it would not be an act of faith or love. It would not be genuine.
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