Personality Traits vs. Personal Character

The world may be able to be able to excuse much due to childhood traumas, poor parenting, free spirit mentality, or an overloaded schedule, but biblicists can access Holy Spirit empowerment to become capable at fulfilling priorities within the adequate time the Lord has provided. Believers can fulfill responsibilities (yes, even dull housecleaning tasks). Believers can successfully function at times other than their “best times.” Believers can conquer weak flesh, lazy habits, and poor skills when they make choices to do right rather than please self. No excuses.

Everyone must be alert for the “It’s just the way I am” trap or the “it’s just my personality” excuse. Teacher and parent excuse-warning systems go off when they hear “It’s just. . .” and “I was just joking. .  .” so when we hear it coming from ourselves, we need to “intervene” with ourselves. Poor ways to work and organize will become rock hard habits after years of giving into them with the excuses that “it’s just the way I am,” or “that’s my personality” or “I just cannot do. . .” or “I never learned how to. . .”

Think of homes all around the world, and the people responsible for stewarding them. Some of those people have come from wonderful homes where vibrant spiritual living was as common as bread and butter. Some come from homes where only the abundant grace of God could protect their hearts in the face of intense bitterness and mistreatment.

Some come from homes where every meal is a miracle; others come from homes reveling in the abundance of American prosperity.

Some come from homes where the mother was a flawless housekeeper, and her children carry entrenched habits of vigorous housekeeping with them to their homes because of her training.

Some come from homes where the mother was a flawless housekeeper, and her children carry nothing with them to their homes expect the memory of a mom who did everything that needed doing.

Some come from recklessly kept homes, vowing to live differently, while others revel in the feel of flying loose with life as it comes.

Is there any consistent level of right or best or should in so much variation? How can either we or the next generation prepare to be effective for the Lord? Can we assure that each of our backgrounds, varied though they be, will be a help and not a hindrance to effectively handling all of our future responsibilities? Where can we start?

With the bottom line that any personality not tainted, driven, or controlled by sin can develop the character to do what God needs done, with adequate skill, in a timely fashion, and without inconveniencing or imposing wrongly on others to fulfill YOUR responsibilities.

Take stock:

What jobs do you like to do in and for your home/living space?

Do you have someone else who currently cleans/cooks/stewards other living responsibilities for you? How capably could you attend to those tasks if they did not handle them?

Who is “supposed” to do each of the tasks involved in home maintenance, upkeep, and improvement? Why that person and not someone else? Who will do all of those tasks when your designated supposed-to-do-it person no longer exists?

What tasks do you always put off? What reasons do you give for putting them off?

What is your best functioning time (morning, evening, no time, specific day or days)?

Are there days and times that are off-limits for you: times you never seem to function well? Do you know if you can surmount such roadblocks to effective living or is the reason for the roadblock a genuine thorn in the flesh from the Lord?

What about your personality and your character helps you function well in your home/living space?

What about your personality and your character hinders you from functioning well in your home/living space?

Are you a speed worker or a plodder? Readily distracted? Focused bulldozer?

Do you plan how to clean? Do you maintain the plan consistently? Do you clean as the spirit moves? Does it move consistently? Or is your cleaning spirit permanently asleep or on vacation?

Lots of questions. . .lots of possible  answers, but all pointing the same direction.

The more you know about yourself—and  the more willing you are to let judgment begin with yourself by holding yourself accountable to develop and implement the work habits and mental state for effective life functioning—the more you will grow spiritually, mentally, and skillfully in all aspects of living your life as God intended.

The key is not just knowing yourself. It’s knowing yourself as God knows you.