I would like to talk about identities. Your identity is not made up of what college you go to, who you hang out with, or even how much money you give to charity. Everyone is unique. Everyone is their own being, impacted by irreversible setbacks, incredible challenges, individual experiences, and unique memories. If everyone has such a unique life and unique circumstances that it is impossible to completely understand another person. There is always another shoved away memory, forgotten quote or inside joke.

Despite this, we manage to connect to one another. We share many common hardships and struggles, and many positive similarities. Each of us has a right to be proud and secure in our identity because despite the common desire to conform to be like everyone else, our differences are what make us strong. If there were no differences, there would be no House or Senate. If there were no differences, there would be no opera, or rap, or rock. Our individual experiences are what make us strong because that is what people connect to most.

Even though most people want to blend in with everyone else, the idea of standing out and being our own is always appealing. The reason Protestantism started was because no one wanted to follow the strict Vatican any longer. Much of jazz is rooted in the rebellion of slaves singing in the fields of plantations. The point is, we all want to stand out, but this is balanced with an insecurity that we will not be accepted.

Over middle school, the time when this insecurity really flourished for me, I thought a lot about why I was so focused on not standing out too much. I quickly realized that I did want to stand out, desperately so, but I was scared. I was scared of not being accepted by people. As soon as I had this realization, I started to consciously try to express myself. Who I am is a reflection of my life. A reflection of my deep love for my family, my loyalty for my friends, and so many more parts of myself, big and small. I began to see in my classmates that insecurity is not based on whether or not you look pretty that day, if you aren't good enough to do something, or if you are too fat. Insecurity is based with acceptance.

The basic need of acceptance within all people is inextinguishable. I think we all have a deep desire to be with people. To laugh, to cry, to connect with others. There is a belief that this connection is so delicate, when in fact it is not. People are so drawn to change, to individuality, that they seek it out in itself. In a way, ironically, this is also blending in. People want to conform to individuality. If everyone was themselves, their true being, thoughts, and this reflected into their actions, our world would be so diverse, unique.

Our world is such a beautiful place. It is so full of wonderful differences: religions, sexual orientation, political beliefs, financial levels, location that we all are already such beautiful special people. The more we accomplish this, the easier it will be to accept all people. Yes, differences of belief create differences of opinion more often than not. But isn't this what we want? If there was no conflict, there would be no difference. People have the right and responsibility to disagree because that is how new ideas form.

Think about it this way. God created each of us individually, different than everyone else. We have all led different lives and have different ways of looking at the world. Is it not our responsibility to spread the world of God? If God created us as a unique representation of himself, then is it not our purpose to share and express our individuality? I believe that when God says to spread his word, he does not only mean to spread his message from the Bible. That is so important, but that is also a part of ourselves. We are God’s word because he is part of us. We are God’s word because we value him and we are the human representative of him. I believe that it is our responsibility, as Christians, to express ourselves because in a way, that is an expression of an aspect of God.