Personalities

I just can't get stand her . . . she's always doing . . . why does she act like that? . . . We just have nothing in common.

Oy. Raising three kids with three very different personalities is like trying to bring together three warring nations . . . well maybe not quite, but there are times when I wonder.

Each personality flows from the innermost creature and comes out in the form of needs and desires expressed in a manner unique to each individual.

Weaknesses and strengths form personality as well as experiences, culture, faith, and choices.

My daughter's kindergarten teacher frequently mentioned what joy she brought to her. I know the joy my sweet daughter can bring, when she chooses to expose it. I also know the fits she can expose when she chooses. The personality that her teacher saw did not match the personality we see at home.

Over the years, in university and out, I've been exposed to many of these personality tests. You're a type A manager. No you're a Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging person. No you have a balanced personality. No are idealistic. and so on.

I soon learned that these personality tests vary from day to day depending on how I'm feeling or thinking. I've come to completely disregard these tests and throw them out with the bath water. What a lot of nonsense.

That is not to say that I don't see certain habits or talents or tendencies in different people, but I prefer not to put a person in a box. Why? Because I know people can change.

Personality weaknesses often are an extension of our sinful nature. For example, competitive persons tend to be strategic, energetic and deliberate, and often the desire for achievement overthrows mercy and selfless living. They become so caught up with the need to win that they can forget to consider the other person. A weakness stemming from their sinful nature.

God has given each of us different talents and gifts to be used for Him. How we use them reflects what are our priorities, and what our priorities are reflects what we love. My eldest daughter loves to sing. She makes this a priority in her life to sing only songs pleasing to God. She doesn't sing the most popular songs on the radio or on YouTube. That reflects what she loves, what she has been taught, and where she sets her priorities.

I'm tired of the excuse, it is just her personality, when someone brings offense to another. Personalities can be curbed, shaped and molded in order to bring joy to another person or to God. The tendencies to respond negatively to certain stimuli can be overcome when we reconsider where we are placing our values, our faith, and our priorities, AND when we put others, including God, before ourselves.