Today in class we had some more introspection time to examine where we each fall on the social pattern graph. The importance put on this process by its propagators makes me wonder how folks in the early Church functioned without all these charts, diagrams, categories, functions, pros and cons. But perhaps I am a bit cynical. I have grown to resent introspection because it smells like selfishness, and methodology because it smells like legalism and self-sufficiency. Yet here I am.
We examined ourselves on two respective axis, namely, Assertiveness and Responsiveness. These axis were measured to the degree of Ask or Tell and Control or Emote, respectively. The long and short of it is, we were asked to discern whether we make our opinions known or not on the one scale, and whether we hide or gush our emotions on the other. I fell strongly on the side of Tell, or making my opinions known, and weakly on the side of Control, or concealing my emotions. This means that I tell it like it is, I will be the first and last one to speak if allowed, and if anyone happens to disagree with me, I will hasten to battle. And as to emotions, I often conceal them, frequently behind a mask of general happiness or blunt honesty. Other times, I do not, but rather splash my emotions all over everyone. This is almost universally the case with my enthusiasm. When I am genuinely excited about Jesus, I let the whole world know. Usually, I do not feel this way, so I am often hiding my emotions.
This particular quadrant on the nifty Cairn graph is named Driver. The qualities they list that particularly ring true for myself are as follows, both good and bad: not easily discouraged, tends to know the right answers, leads and organizes, energizes others, unsympathetic, wants constant activity, and dominates others.
Finally, I have been asked how I may better interact with those of the other styles. This is not as simple as a three-step process or nine tips, it is, in fact, as simple as one thing: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) This is so marvelously simple, but it is in fact, the universal how-to. Yet it is not properly a how-to, because it leaves all the burden of action on Jehovah. How positively glorious! The fruits or results of trusting Jehovah in this situation would likely look like this: I will listen and ask engaging questions to my quiet and less domineering friends, I will carefully consider their opinion without plowing over them, and I will be a good listener when they are explaining their emotions to me. Listening, questioning, being interested, in short, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself, I am Jehovah.” (Leviticus 19:18)
No comments:
Post a Comment