What is Biblical Individualism?

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We all fight to be heard and to be seen. The ways humanity battles for attention varies. Some record videos of catching marshmallows with their mouths hoping to go viral. This person did and ended up on America’s Got Talent! Others choose to incite anger and rally to a call to action for a cause. Not everyone is a talented social media influencer, so they fight to be seen through fashion. If they’re dressed in all black with heavy eyeliner and colored hair, well, we can guess what they’re views are on life. Everyone wants to be their own self. We live in an age of individualism.

What is individualism? It is the right of the individual to have their own moral code, independence, and the right to pursue their own goals over that of a group of people. They are not tethered to a group’s ideology, nor do they find their personal worth in other’s opinions. Is there anything wrong with individualism? The answer is complicated. To everything in life there is an invisible boundary line that people shouldn’t cross. God made each of us unique in the way we look, our passions and desires, and our talents. We should pursue understanding how the Creator made us. We should stand up to those who want to snuff out our giftings and force us to conform to their image rather than to God’s image. The boundary line that is crossed is when two things happen: 1) When we expect other people to be just like us and 2) When we become so self-consumed that we withhold our talents from being used to help the community.

The Bible recognizes the responsibilities of being an individual. In Psalm 139:13, the Psalmist takes the time to appreciate how God made him so complex even in his mother’s womb. Galatians 6:4-5 encourages us to pay attention to our own work to receive satisfaction and to take personal responsibility for our own actions. The Holy Spirit has given each of us gifts that are unique to us. How we live and operate within those gifts will differ from others. Not one person is better than the other. (Philippians 2:3-4) This is where the boundary line ends for individualism. The sole purpose of nurturing these dreams and talents is not to become bigger than we are, but rather to contribute to the community.

Paul describes community or church as a body with different parts. (1 Corinthians 12) Every

appendage of the body is there for a reason. Whether it’s an internal organ, hidden beneath clothes, or out for the public to see, every organ and appendage plays a vital role in keeping us alive. For a community to thrive, every member needs to be allowed to live in their individualism so that they can use their uniqueness to contribute to the well-being of others. When the community or church fails, you may discover that the boundary line of individualism has been crossed. An example would be of an authoritarian-style of leadership that forces people to comply with one way of thinking and doing things that robs those of their unique contribution. The humility and appreciation for the many differences in people’s abilities is not there. 

I was once told by my boss that I was a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. As offensive as that was at the time, he was right. My talents and gifts were going unnoticed. Instead, I was placed in a position that sucked the life out of me. I am a relational leader. I place more value on relationships and less on small tasks. I am not wired for administrative details, and yet, that was the position I was placed in. I needed the freedom to move and to create without being micro-managed. I needed to talk and collaborate with others. Instead, I was placed behind a receptionist desk far away from other office mates. I sat hours on end doing mindless tasks all alone. It was torture for me and my boss made sure that I knew it was torture for him as well. Eventually, I quit and took some time for self-exploration. Now that I know what makes me “tick”, I now am in a job that I love and can feel successful at. 

There’s nothing wrong with individualism if it stays within Biblical guidelines. We are beautifully and wonderfully made to be in relationship with God and with others. Our talents and dreams aren’t meant to be hoarded or to be weaponized against others, but they are to be used for a stronger and more meaningful community. If you are feeling like a square peg trying to squeeze into a round hole, contact The Adi Project. We would love to help you find the person that God made you to be.