REDISCOVERING INTERDEPENDENCE

 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.

1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV)

                There are two competing forces in our world that seem to be tearing us apart. These forces have been solidified in political movements, which have shaped the landscape of our world. They keep nations at odds with one another. They have been the catalyst for wars on a large scale and internal conflict on a smaller scale. What are these two competing forces? They are radical dependence and radical independence.

                In large parts of the world, radical dependence holds sway. In its most blatant form, we see it in Communist societies. In these settings, the individual is absorbed into the whole. What is most important is what promotes the success of the whole, even if it means the sacrifice of the individual. The value of the individual is measured only in terms of what they can contribute to the whole. Ultimately, the individual is expendable.

                On one of my trips to Ukraine, we were taking a bus tour of Kiev, the capital. At one point on our tour, we passed the former headquarters of the KGB. At that point, our guide began to complain that under Communism everything was for the masses, but nothing was for the individual. She felt like her life didn’t matter. She is just a cog in a larger political engine.

                We see a similar situation in China, although its roots go deeper than Communism, all the way back to Confucius. Historically, Chinese people have been taught that their top loyalty is to the collective whole. Their individual dreams and well-being must be sacrificed for the collective whole. Their well-being is dependent upon the government, who controls what they do and where they go. This is often called “The Golden Rice Bowl.” A person owes their loyalty to the one who feeds them.

                On the other end of the spectrum, we find radical independence. This way of thinking is valued in the West and promoted in “democratic” societies. In these societies, the needs and desires of the individual trump the needs and the desires of the whole. Independence fosters a self-centered and selfish approach to life. We see this being played out in America today. “I can do whatever I want with my life, and you cannot tell me differently” has become the dominant cry in our society. Total independence leads to arrogance and a disregard for others. Right and wrong become relative and in many cases irrelevant. Many people in America have fallen under the spell of “I can do whatever I want, as long as I am not hurting someone else.”

                To be fair, there are positive aspects of both dependence and independence. Dependence acknowledges that we have limits and that we need other people in our lives. Independence acknowledges that we have value and worth as individuals. Both of these are part of what it means to be human.

                The Bible takes these two concepts and melds them into a third alternative; interdependence. The Bible teaches us that we are totally dependent upon God. Our very life comes from Him. Our abilities are a gift from His hand and not something that we have created ourselves. At the same time, the Bible teaches us that we have been created in the image of God. We have value and worth that goes beyond our abilities. In addition, God has created each of us as unique individuals with different gifts and abilities that we can use and offer to others.

                This concept of interdependence is seen clearly in Paul’s writing, as he describes believers as the Body of Christ.

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 unpresentable 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.
1 Corinthians 12:14-27 (NIV)

                There is an important concept that Paul wants us to understand. We are part of a collective whole, but we do not lose our individuality. Paul makes it clear that we are all dependent upon one another. One part of the body can not say to another part, I don’t need you. In order for the body to be healthy and function properly, it needs all of the parts working together. On the other hand, no part of the body should feel inferior to any other. Each part of the body has a unique roll to play that is just as important as all the other parts. In other words, we are interdependent. We have value as individuals and we have a responsibility to the whole. Holding these two things together promotes health and vitality. Separating these two things results in a total breakdown of the body.

                Our society today is divided into two extremes: those who want to champion the collective and those who want to champion the individual. As believers in Christ, we can offer a healthier alternative; care for the whole, without losing the value of the individual. Each of us has value and worth as an individual. We all need one another for support and encouragement. We have great abilities and we have limits. We were not created to live in isolation, but in relationship with one another and with God. We have been called into a life of interdependence where we freely offer what we have to others and freely receive what they have to offer us. By doing this we all thrive.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV)