39663355-Transforming-Your-Temperament.pdf

8/14/2019 39663355-Transforming-Your-Temperament.pdf

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Transforming Your Temperament: AStudy in Personalities

Part One - Overview and Basic Personalities

We hear a lot in today's society about therapy and trying to discover our "true"selves. But how does this figure into a Christian's life? How can we be individualsbut all fit together as believers to do the work of the church? I strongly believe thatod gave each one of us a uni!ue and wonderful personality that allows us toserve Hi in a special way. We are all different but it is the differences thatcoplient one another and help us to fit# not unlike pu$$le pieces# to for thebody of believers.

%his is what I would like to e&plore in a several part series Temperaments &Personality. We will also e&plore e&aples in (cripture# find the roadblocks to oursuccess and how to overcoe the. I hope this will be insightful and helpful foryou in your Christianwalk. %his study is based# in part# on a Bible study that a dearpastor friend of ine# )rank Hayward# wrote and taught. %his study was called*+,*+ -ision and I later adapted the study for y own use# with his perission.

/isclaier I know any Christians are uncofortable with the personality,teperaent testing or psycho0analysis. (oe believe it is an e&cuse for us to notfollow od's coands, will. (Ex.: "I can't do this or change that because it's just

my personality.")I personally find teperaent studies to be otivating. It helpse to understand where y strengths,weaknesses lie and# how# through od'sgreat love and wisdo# I can change to better serve Hi.

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Basic Overview of the Temperaments

SANGUINE: Warm, buoyant, liely and enjoys li!e. eelings dominate hisdecisions. Enjoys people and is neer at a loss !or #ords. $a%es !riends easily.(Extroert)

CHOLERIC: &ot, uic%, actie, practical, and strong#illed. el!su!!icient and eryindependent. Is decisie and opinionated. *!ten succeeds #here others !ail.(Extroert)

MELANCHOLIC: +ichest o! all the temperaments. &eshe is analytical, sel!sacri!icing, gi!ted, per!ectionist, and ery sensitie. -y nature an introert, butsho#s a ariety o! moods. (Introert)

PHLEGMATIC: alm, cool, slo#, and easy going. /oesn't get upset easily, has aery high boiling point. Enjoys people. 0ends to be a spectator #atching others.&as a good retentie mind. (Introert)

Simple Temperament Test

%here are any different personality,teperaent tests. I take y inforationpriarily fro the %i 1aHaye books. He finds there are four basic teperaentssanguine# choleric# elancholic# and phlegatic. He also goes further in the studyto deterine that we don't all have 2ust one teperaent. %here are variants andone person ay have certain percentages or soe or all of the teperaents.3)or e&aple# soeone ay test at 4+5 choleric# 675 sanguine and 75phlegatic.8 But for the purposes of this study# I plan to focus on the priaryteperaent rather than all the blends.

9s you begin# reeber that any test is only as good as the sub2ect taking it. Behonest with yourself. %ake into consideration your ood. %aking a test like thisay depend greatly on your feelings at that tie.

Maing a !etermination

"ay #$: You may try to determine your primary and secondarytemperament %y how yousee yourself.

Way :* ;ou ay also ake the deterination by how otherssee you. %o do this

it would be wise to ask several people in order to get an average idea of yourteperaent.

)inal deterination 9fter doing the above# you need to consider whether you seeyourself as other do. If people don't see you as you see yourself then you usttake careful consideration. If your score is in arked contrast# then you ay betrying to ake yourself soething you aren't.

A Simple Test


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>. /o you do well at ath and detail?. /o you get depressed easily?

If your answer to !uestion < was extroertand you answered yes to *0=0(9@AI@If your answer to !uestion < was extroertand you answered yes to only one of *0= 0CH1DICIf your answer to < was introertand answered yes to 70 0E19@CH1ICIf your answer to < was introertand you said yes to 7 and you don't getdepressed often 38 FGH1E9%IC

;ou ay also want to take this testhttp:www'oneishy'compersonalitypersonality(test'php. It gives a orespecific teperaent breakdown# including the blends.

1o# that you'e !ound your primary temperament, let's moe on to part t#o,0rans!ormed 0emperaments, the -iblical Examples.

)or further reading in the teperaents other great resources

0he ie 2oe 2anguagesby ary Chapan0he /isciplined 2i!eby Dichard (. %aylorpiritontrolled 0emperamentby %i 1aHaye0rans!ormed 0emperamentsby %i 1aHayeWhy 3ou 4ct the Way 3ou /oby %i 1aHaye

Part Two -Transor!in" #o$r Te!%era!ent

$' Transforming Your Temperament: Bi%lical)*ample of a +holeric

Pa$l& t'e A%ostle o Love

%he choleric# though an e&trovert teperaent like the sanguine# is vastlydifferent. Cholerics get right to the point. %hey want to straighten out the probleiediately. 3eep in ind these are generalities. @ot all cholerics lack balanceJthis tends toward the e&tree.8 Here are soe other aspects of a choleric

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)ating ,a%its %hey seldo change what they eat and will bolt it down in bigchunks# all the while talking.

!riving %hey are speed deons on the roadJ they like to ake up for lost tie.

Shopping %hey are not fond of shopping and will only do it when they have to.%hey will usually over0buy.

Yard +are enerally# cholerics hate yard work but when they do it# it is usually ina fren$y. verything is cut to the sae level and a siple yard is best.

Study ,a%its Cholerics are clever# but not usually brilliant. %hey like history#geography# literature and psychology. %hey are poor spellers# fast readers# andhave curious inds. Constantly ask why and love charts# diagras and graphs.%hey have poor handwriting.

Speaing:%hey speak freely but with ore deliberation than sanguines.

Bill Paying %hey like to pay bills on tie. 1ike things orderly. /on't care if thecheckbook doesn't balance e&actly.

!iscipline:%hey want to run their hoe like a boot cap. 9lways tell childrenwhat they e&pect# but fail to show love. %hey love to give orders. Asually spank toohard# too often and too uch. Can be good parents# but ust really work at it.Hard to please. @eed to encourage# assure and build up children.

@ow let's look at the e&aple of (aul,Gaul fro the @ew %estaent. )or those notas failiar with this character# the 9postle Gaul was known as (aul before his

conversion. He was a Kewish leader who was !uite well connected. He also had thedistinction of being a Doan citi$en. 3%his afforded hi even ore standingsocially and politically in that day.8 @ot all Kews could boast citi$enship in theDoan pire. 1et's see where that pride of station and standing got hi...

Saul of Tarsus

+ommitted.

very inch of (aul was choleric. 9 practical activist# strong0willed and goal

oriented. 9cts L7=# 9cts .

If pointed to faith# his ind would be set and deterined and his heart would befi&ed. He would be highly otivated to honor the lord. He would be deterined tolive a life of faith.

+holeric.

Gaul couldn't tolerate !uitters. 9cts


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-ove0 copassion to replace insensitivity and a lack of showing love.

.oy0 that coes even without a pro2ect.

Peace0 that replaces activity.

/entleness0 in speech.

/oodness0 living for a good purpose.

0aith0 not in self# but in od.

Meeness0 that replaces pride.

1uestions to Thin A%out:


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)or this lesson# let's take a look at a great e&aple of a sanguinewho wastransfored by od.(anguines are the first of the e&troverted teperaents we will discuss. %hey area uni!ue blend of happy confidence. %hey will talk about weather# friends# and ahundred other things before facing the real proble. Here are soe ore aspectsof a sanguine

)ating ,a%its %hey eat everything in sight. Darely look at a enu until thewaitress arrives. %he least picky of all the teperaents.

!riving 9re erratic drivers. (oeties fast and soeties slow. 1ike to lookpeople in the face while talking and driving.

Shopping 9re not price conscious# are drawn to color or display. Asually haveoverloaded carts.

Yard +are Have all the tools but before they can get started they get side0tracked and later end up putting the tools away.

Study ,a%its 9re not usually good students but can be if otivated. Bright# butrestless# and usually undisciplined. (hort interest span and easily distracted. Hardto stay focused for a long tie. %hey have e&pressive and flaboyant handwriting.

Speaing:9re intuitive speakers. verly e&pressive and use e&aggeration freely.

Bill Paying 9re usually terrible record0keepers. Eay take several reinders. Hatedetails. Eay hate their overspending# but rarely cut down.

!iscipline:Asually take tie to cofort and love children after disciplining the.

Can be very loud and e&pressive. Can be screaers. Eay not carry out threats.Children ay not respond until they think they have to. (hould disciplineiediately# otherwise they ay change their ind and be too forgiving# whichay lead to perissiveness. Be consistent.

Peter3 Man of ,ope

The /ood0 Geter was an e&trovert. He was also ipetuous# loveable# andlaughable. 9s a (anguine# he was war# friendly and the kind of person who waslike a agnet to others. He was the life of the party# a good talker# happy0go0lucky#

generous# copassionate# and responsive to his surroundings and those aroundhi.

The Bad0 He was often weak0willed# eotionally unstable# e&plosive# restless andegotistical. He had great difficulty following through on details. ften he feltinsecure and fearful. Geter's life was one of e&trees including failures andsuccesses. (anguines find it hard to diagnose their own personality because theyare not given to self0e&aination or introspection.

The Truth3

5mpulsive' Geter wasn't naturally spiritual. He was a fisheran# but iediatelyleft all to follow Kesus. He invited Kesus to his other0in0law's house and she wassick. He got out of the boat without really thinking. When he didn't know what todo# he talked. 1uke L66. He also tended to 2up fro one thing to another.

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6ninhi%ited31uke 7


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we still see the road to aturity. In the book of * Geter# he even honors the 9postleGaul. %he really wonderful thing is how uch od used this sanguine.

Temperament Transformation: Sanguine

0he anguine #ill need 6 !ruits or strengths o! the &oly pirit.

Peace0 instead of restlessness

-ong3suffering0 endurance to finish things

/entleness0 in conversation

Meeness0 in place of ego

0aith0 to overcoe fear and insecurity

Self3control0 to overcoe lack of self0control



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they decide. Gicky eaters.

!riving 9lways prepare well for a trip. %hey study the ap. Darely speed.

Shopping 9re deliberate and decisive shoppers. Copare price and !uality. Eaytake tie to decide.now where things are and use coupons.

Yard +are Asually have the best yards. %alk to and baby plants.

Study ,a%its 9re usually good students who en2oy leaning. 1ove reading. 9ble toconcentrate. Deeber details and are good spellers. %hey have the ostunpredictable handwriting of all the teperaents. &treely cople& and writethat way.

Speaing @ever talk unless they have thought out precisely what to say. /on'tlike to interrupt others.

Bill Paying 9re perfectionists. Balance the checkbook to the penny. Eust pay billson tie or they get very irritated.

!iscipline Have high to unreal standards for their children. 1ast ones to learn thateveryone needs praise. Asually correct okay but ay take out frustration on theirchildren.

A Broad 8iew of Moses

A %rief summary

ifted is one word that describes a elancholy like Eoses. %he Bible has anyfaous naes of the sae teperaent Kacob# (oloon# li2ah# lisha# Kereiah#Isaiah# /aniel# $ekiel# badiah# Konah# Kohn the Baptist# the 9postles Kohn and%hoas# and any others.

Gotential is another word to describe Eoses. Eelancholies have great potential ifthey do not give in to a negative thinking pattern.

A %rief reminder

Deeber that the elancholy is prone to be pessiistic# very sensitive# oody#critical# and a perfectionist.

9nother thing to reeber is that Eoses lived during the tie when the Holy (piritdid not indwell people as He does today.@o one needs reinding about the intellect of Eoses. (tephen# in 9cts ># says thatEoses "was learned in all the wisdo of the gyptians# and was ight4 in wordsand in deeds." 9cts >**.

A +lose 8iew of Moses

Self3sacrificing. Eelancholies are prone to give theselves to soe sacrificialcause. %his ay even be directed by a sense of pride. (elf0sacrifice ust be od0directed. @o one should be otivated by a sense of guilt. Why did Eoses ake thedecision he ade to leave the coforts and ease of the palace? %he Bible reveals

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the answer in the book of Hebrews. Eoses chose to live by faith# and to trust od.Hebrews


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everything# give thanks.

-oyalty. Because Eoses reained loyal# the people of Israel reained loyal. Hisdevotion grew over the years. Eoses is a good e&aple of what od can do with afearful# insecure# doubtful# pessiistic# copulsive# and depressed an. Hebecae a great leader. He was a great instruent in the hands of od. He is aperfect illustration of the fact od doesn't use perfect en woen# but en woen of faith who trust Hi.

Summary Instead of worrying over your weaknesses# thank od for his power inyour life.

Temperament Transformation: Melancholy

0he $elancholy #ill need 7 !ruits or strengths o! the &oly pirit.

-ove0 for others in spite of iperfections.

.oy0 to replace oodiness.

Peace0 to replace fluctuating thoughts.

/oodness0 towards others that gives fulfillent to self# also in a right way.

0aith0 to do what they fear they can't.



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Ghlegatic is the second of the introverted teperaents. %heir even teper andcalness differentiates the fro the elancholic. %hey ake great diploatsand peaceakers. Ghelgatics rarely get around to aking a decision or talkingabout the proble. Eany are teachers# doctors# scientists# coedians and writers.%hey can ake capable leaders. Here are soe other aspects of a phlegatic

)ating ,a%its 9re the ost deliberate eaters and usually the last to finish.

!riving 9re usually the slowest drivers of all. %hey usually are indecisive and canbe slow.

Shopping n2oy shopping. %hey take longer and are ore fugal. Hard tiedeciding.

Yard +are Asually do the yard because their desire to rest is overcoe by theirdrive to do the accepted thing and have a nice yard.

Study ,a%its Can be good students if they don't procrastinate. Work best under

pressure. Have orderly inds. 9re capable of analysis and deductions. oodeories. Asually write sall and neat.

Speaing 9re !uiet about everything. (eldo enter into debate.

Bill Paying (ysteati$e everything. eep good records. 1ike to pay bills early.1ove to balance the checkbook.

!iscipline @eed to learn to be ore assertive when necessary. %hey have lots ofpatience with children and take tie to play with the. Eay allow children to sassthe. 1east likely to spank. @eeds to agree with spouseabout correction.

A Broad 8iew of A%raham

A %rief summary

)asy0 %he easiest people in the world to get along with are phlegatics. %hey areeasy going and cla. Winner of the "nice guy of the year" award. Eay even act likeChristians before becoing one. Works well with others. Conservative# dependableand with a practical turn of ind. Because he is !uiet# his good and bad points areless perceptible.

Slow0 %he least otivated of the teperaents. He can ignore work graciouslyand is prone to be stubborn# stingy# and indecisive. Eay seek to avoid gettinginvolved in life.

A %rief reminder

=emem%er0 that phlegatics ake great diploats and peaceakers. Eany areteachers# doctors# scientists# coedians and writers. %hey can ake capableleaders.=emem%er0 that phlegatics never volunteer to serve as leaders but have great

ability. %hey usually don't create friction. /on't take no for an answer# but on theother hand don't be pushy. &pect to be refused the first tie around# but presentyour case and allow tie for consideration. /on't e&pect a !uick decision.

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A +lose 8iew of A%raham >/enesis $2327?

+onsistent0 nce properly otivated the phlegatics will be faithful in theirduties. %hey are consistent to refuse to take on ore than they feel they canaccoplish. %hey fear failing in the eyes of others and are reluctant to launch outinto the deep. %hey ay tend to say or think that soeone else can do a better2ob. %his is actually a selfish response. Ghilippians =


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39663355-Transforming-Your-Temperament.pdf

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