Individuality, today, may seem as something of an
oddity. We are constantly indoctrinated through education and the media
with a great over-all concept. This concept strips people of personal
identity and tends to categorize people into classes or groups. The idea
is to mainstream everyone.
The thrust of social programs demanding that everyone
receive the same and equal share does away with individuality. This is
the idea of a socialistic government. As people move in this direction,
the danger is becoming a democratic socialistic society. In this society
there is the eroding of individuality and the family structure. This is
caused when the common society demands not equality, but equal.
From the Scriptures I read that each person has
identity and individuality. This was placed within each person by the
Creator.
To be different and have equality gives each person a
unique identity.
I know that you are someone special because God
created you in His own Image.
(Gen 1:26-28) Then God said, "Let us make man in our
image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and
the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over
all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his
own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he
created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and
increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of
the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that
moves on the ground." (NIV)
I know that you are someone special because God loves
you with an everlasting love.
(Jer 31:3) The LORD appeared to us in the past,
saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you
with loving-kindness. (NIV)
I know that you are someone special because God has a
plan for you to glorify and be glorified with Him.
(Ps 139:13-16) For you created my inmost being; you
knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am
fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that
full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the
secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your
eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in
your book before one of them came to be. (NIV)
I know that you are someone special because God has
given each person special and unique abilities.
(Eph 4:7) But to each one of us grace has been given
as Christ apportioned it. (NIV)
(1 Cor 12:12-31) The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts;
and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with
Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-- whether
Jews or Greeks, slave or free-- and we were all given the one Spirit to
drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot
should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it
would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear
should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it
would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole
body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body
were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has
arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted
them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it
is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand,
"I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need
you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we
treat with special honor. And the parts that are un-presentable are
treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no
special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has
given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be
no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern
for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one
part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of
Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has
appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then
workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to
help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in
different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all
speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater
gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. (NIV)
I know that you are someone special because God's Son
died for you that you might be reconciled to God.
(2 Cor 5:15-21) And he died for all, that those who
live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them
and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly
point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no
longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old
has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to
himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's
sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of
reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God
were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be
reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that
in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)
Yes, even in this world, you and I can be assured that we are someone
special because God did all this for you and I as an individual: