. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . . —John 17:22
It’s amazing how early personality emerges. My great granddaughter is two years old and has a very distinct personality. She is different from the grand kids I have been blessed with. We all display personality; yet just some of our personality is known to others. Personality is the unique, limitless part of our life that makes us distinct from everyone else. It is too vast for us even to comprehend. An island in the sea may be just the top of a large mountain, and our personality is like that island. We don’t know the great depths of our being, therefore we cannot measure ourselves. Others have no chance of completely understanding us. There is really only one Being who fully understands us, and that is our Creator.
Personality is the characteristic mark of the inner, spiritual man, just as individuality is the characteristic of the outer, natural man. Unlike individuality, personality is impacted by our contact with others. I am a different, hopefully better, person because of my forty plus year relationship with my wife. Personality merges, and you only reach your true identity once you are merged with another person. When love or the Spirit of God come upon a person, he is transformed. He will then no longer insist on maintaining his individuality. Our Lord never referred to a person’s individuality or his isolated position, but spoke in terms of the total person— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . . .”
Jesus often compared our relationship with Him with marriage, a merging, a new oneness. Perhaps one reason for the deplorable divorce rate is our modern refusal to let go of our individuality to become one with another. It is surely a reason for our lack of true spirituality, our reluctance to be one with our God. Once your rights to yourself are surrendered to God, your true personal nature begins responding to God immediately. Jesus Christ brings freedom to your total person, and even your individuality is transformed. The transformation is brought about by love— personal devotion to Jesus. Love is the overflowing result of one person in true fellowship with another.
Hopefully I am more because of my relationship with my Lord. We are certainly not yet one. Perhaps we will not be until heaven. But every increase of Him in me, makes me better, more complete and more perfect.
Be blessed.
Nick
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