Published on MorningStar Ministries (http://www.morningstarministries.org)
The Great Commission, Week 48
Proper Balance, Week 48
Word for the Week
Marxism basically pits the collective against all forms of individualism. This is contrary to nature because God so loves diversity and uniqueness that He made every snowflake, every tree, and each one of us different. This being said, the highest state of an individual is achieved by fitting into the group, not in codependence or independence, but interdependence. However, this cannot be achieved if the individual loses their individuality, just as my lungs cannot be a useful part of my body if they do not know that their part is to breathe. True unity is not a unity of conformity, but rather of diversity.
So the unity of our bodies is a unity of diversity where each part knows and does its part while recognizing and honoring the differences of the other parts, and working together with them. This could never be accomplished without each part being able to develop its uniqueness.
So it is in the community, which interestingly comes from the words “common” and “unity.” Without the acceptance, and even the celebration of the individual, we cannot really have community. One cannot truly fit into the community and be an asset to it without knowing who they are. So the foundation of community is the individual. But the individual cannot continue to stand alone or they can never be who they were created to be, which can only be realized in relation to the community.
In the proper balance, the initiative of the individual will benefit the individual and also the community. The key here is “proper balance.” If a society is weighted too much toward the collective so that it erodes personal initiative, it will hurt the collective. Yet if society is weighted too much toward personal initiative, it can promote greed, selfishness, and envy, which will ultimately destroy the individual.
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