a multitude of those who were

Spent the day at the fair. Walking amidst that multitude, you see all manner of people from every walk of life. Pushing past crowds to stand in long lines makes an individual disappear into the collective. But every few minutes you'd see an individual dressed to break away from the herd.

Whether it's a woman in something low cut and form-fitting a la stripper chic, or it's a moody teen dressed in black and chains pulsating angry angst, or it's a biker sporting a dyed mohawk, or it's a self-aware man with a "witty" T-shirt that's too clever by half. And if it's not in the attire, it's in the loud cellphone conversation, the too-animated drunk cheering of friends on rides, or the cliche asides to other line patrons.

There's an innate need to call attention to oneself. Take it from someone whose list of sins begins and ends with selfishness and pride. All too aware of the power of those desires.

Some would say Christianity is about losing that individuality -- everyone believes in the same God, believes in the same doctrine, follows the same accepted code of behavior, worships at the same time according to the same rites. Some would say that belonging to a church and being part of a congregation is a loss of self.

I don't know that Christ ever wants you to lose yourself (except for where He wants you to become more like Him, but that's a different concept). Lord wants you to retain that part of you that makes you unique, else why would He have made you how you are? Lord doesn't want a thousand believers to be the same; Lord wants those thousand believers to love each other for their uniqueness, and then see how they can use each other's uniqueness to support and interlock with one another. Lord doesn't want you to take your self and make it other; Lord wants you to take your self and give it to Him. He'll take care of seeing that that self becomes that other without losing that self while being something else.