Whether we’re a reformer, server, achiever, artist, thinker, loyalist, enthusiast, commander, or peacemaker, we all wrestle with sin. And knowing that each personality type has its own hidden temptations, helps us to be less envious of others when we’re not doing well, and less likely to judge them when we are. Recognising our particular pattern sin lets us know what we need to work on. For example, if we’re a reformer we need to be aware of our tendency towards self-righteousness. However, it’s also important to recognise that we’ve been wired by God with a passion for justice – and that’s a good thing. There’s positives and negatives to every character. We’ll all have things we need to work on and things that help us do amazing work for God’s kingdom. And when we’re aware of other people’s patterns, it helps us to empathise and live in harmony with them. As we learn about their patterns we become more encouraging towards those whose sins are different from ours. For example, we can make sure ‘helpers’ don’t always get stuck in the ‘serving’ mode, and encourage ‘peacemakers’ to speak honestly when they’re angry. Our goal should be to take off our religious masks, strengthen one another in our areas of struggle, and do it in a gracious, non-judgmental way. When we know and accept ourselves and others, we can walk together in love. ‘Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up.’ Only then are we free to become the best version of ourselves – God’s unique creation.

What Now?

Ask a few people that you know which type of person (out of the 9 we’ve looked at) they’re most like. Ask God to help you strengthen others and yourself to be able to become who God’s created you to be.