Christian Counseling - Eccentrics: Society's Torchbearers

Who is more apt to lead others, be it one or 10,000? The conventional, tame, predictable and easily understood person or the neurotic and eccentric person? Generally speaking, a torchbearer is one who is able to think out-of-the-box, who is unconventional and deviates from the norm and what is expected, but does not allow their personal conflicts or temptations to rule them. Such was the person of Jesus (not including neurotic). He continues to surprise us today in the words and deeds of the Bible when we diligently search them out and when we see them and Him come to life in the 21st century. This type of person is attractive and exciting, as well as scary because he or she does not hesitate to speak the truth, which ushers us into discomfort by destabilizing our views of ourselves and the world.

True human torchbearers are those who live close to madness, not very concerned about what others think about them and driven by an internal force that juxtaposes their own internal conflicts with the indwelling and directive Spirit of God, both of which serve to energize and liberate. These are the people who have a firm handle on courage, develop a medium for self-expression, transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, present truths afresh (i.e., creatively presenting Christ in a new way to each generation), speak a universal language of the heart, reveal unseen possibilities, and are givers of life.

Each of us has the potential to be a torchbearer to those in our corner of the world. This is, I believe, God's intention, that we live extraordinarily, walk with courage, learn to risk, unashamedly exercise our right to freedom of speech, and be boldly uncommon and even eccentric. Until we live this way, we have not yet fully become like Jesus.