As a former biology teacher, I have found that nothing delights teenagers more than learning about themselves. If we are honest, grownups are not far behind them. I really enjoy using personality inventories and have found them very insightful when working with leaders and teams of people. It thrills me to empower individuals to work better together.
On a personal level, I also enjoy taking these tests. I've taken the Myers-Briggs as part of the hiring process and for seminary. More recently my extended family worked through "StrengthsFinder." It was so much fun seeing each other in a new light. This test brought new clarity on what makes each of us "tick" and how we function as a family. Currently, the hot personality inventory seems to be the Enneagram. If you haven't heard of it you might be living under a rock, or it just might be your age. The younger youth ministry volunteers in our church are buzzing about the test, with several acting as self-proclaimed gurus of the Enneagram.
The Enneagram Institute explains nine personality types that emerge throughout childhood and into adulthood. The test highlights each personality having its own set of liabilities, default stress reactions, and unique desirable qualities. There have been podcasts and websites dedicated to helping people understand their own Enneagram. I have personally enjoyed pursuing those from time to time. But I have recently felt compelled to remind myself where the true measure of my temperament lies.
Tests Misused
Not long ago, I had a conversation with a pastor who began explaining to me his personality test results. He almost seemed proud of his personality because it was unique and made him feel justified in his interactions with people. I have seen his church's culture and have watched this individual crush pastors and staff under his care with an abrasive and seemingly uncaring demeanor. Budget cuts are no big thing. "Pushing out" an unwanted staff member doesn't cause him to bat an eye. That's just business. That's just how he is wired, as is attested to by his Myers-Briggs.
More recently, I was asked to give counsel to a young married couple who were both Christian. The young husband brought up their Enneagram compatibility and contended, "See, it's natural that we would be having conflict." What he was failing to acknowledge, as he attempted to blame his shell-shocked wife, was that he was working out of the weakest parts of his personality. He had admitted to high stress at work and anger issues already. He was using the Enneagram to excuse the explosive arguments the couple was having.
Most personality tests include an analysis that describes the liabilities of each personality type. I am always quick to point out the detriments they naturally carry. Knowing our weakness is the first step towards self-awareness. Tests should not be used to box people in and put labels on them. They should never be used to excuse bad behavior.
The Purpose
Each of these personality inventories are tools to help us better understand ourselves, our families, and our co-workers. We have to be aware that our truest measure of personality comes from above. The early church did not have fancy self-discovery tools, but instead they were marked by their love for one another, regardless of their natural inclinations. Beyond that, the mark of the Christ follower was, and still is, the presence of God's Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit transforms minds and thinking and He produces fruit in lives. When we see the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, we should be convicted. Not one fruit in the bunch can be practiced in isolation but instead all are to be cultivated in the difficulty of relationships. To narrow it down even more, Jesus commands in Matthew 22: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Without love, our words and deeds are just noise. Without love, our marriages are focused on selfish pride which leads to painful interactions. Without the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, you and I are not recognizable as followers of Jesus. Jesus is the epitome of self-sacrificing love. Knowing how we are wired is great; knowing the One who wired us is even better. My hope is that we humbly walk in freedom and grace, which Jesus freely gives us. Not just so we are without guilt, but so that we can be overwhelmed by the love of God which then naturally extends to the people around us.
So keep using the tools. Let's face it, they can be super fun! They give us insights into who we naturally are, but let's daily call on the Spirit of God to change us. We humbly seek God's Spirit to grow the fruit of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control so that we might reflect the one who made us. (Gal. 5:22-23 NIV)
Resources
Meyers- Briggs - www.16personalities.com
Strengths Finder - www.gallup.com
Enneagram - www.enneagraminstitute.com
Spiritual Temperment - www.amazon.com/Whats-Your-God-Language-Temperaments by Dr. Perrine
Kelsey Morgan is the East Central Regional Coordinator and is the co-founder of Generation514 with her husband Brock Morgan. She has authored and edited NEXT Curriculum produced by the Youth Cartel and is committed to supporting and investing in those who care for the welfare of teens.