Day 23: Understanding who you are.... really

Wow... been awhile, hasn't it? I guess the normal thing would be to start out by apologizing, but in truth, I am glad for the delay. Because I have had to sort through what I am going to share here. So if an apology is needed... I'm sorry.
This is a bit of a long read... but what I share here was vitally important for me in the process of finding out why I am here on this planet.

The last blog post was about discovering the spiritual gifts that God has implanted in each of us. The results of my tests have been that I have prophecy, teaching and administration happening for me. Now these gifts can be applied in almost any situation. Prophecy isn't about telling the future. Biblical prophecy is more "forth-telling" than "fore-telling". Prophecy is being able to speak God's mind into a situation - kinda like a "Thus saith the Lord" deal. Teaching and administration are pretty self-explanatory, they are pretty much what the words mean. People who have gifts like these in operation tend to really excel in these arenas. Lots of people teach, but those who have the spiritual gift of teaching tend to really take it to the next level, seemingly able to connect with just about anyone and to take incredibly complex subjects and make them understandable and doable. Same with administration. Life is full of administrators... but when God's version is implanted in someone they have an innate ability to really see the big picture and to order things in a way so as to fit into that picture. And they like it... no - they love it.
At the outset, the three gifts mentioned, teaching, prophecy and administration seem to be the perfect triumvirate for a preacher. In fact, many great preachers indeed have these three gifts operative. But just because you have these gifts happening in your life makes you a preacher? Not hardly. I tried to be a preacher. And a Worship pastor. And a Bible school teacher. On paper, qualified for all. In reality, not so much.
In addition to knowing the spiritual gifts residing in us, we also need to know who we are. What kind of person are we? What is our temperament? This is important.
Gary Smalley has a personality test he has devised. A copy of it can be found at  the following url:
http://www3.dbu.edu/jeanhumphreys/SocialPsych/smalleytrentpersonality.htm

In this test, we are on a path to discover if we are like one of four animals: Lion, Beaver, Golden Retriever or Otter.
Here is a summary of their characteristics; positive on the left side, and negative facet on the right.

Lion

Temperament Characteristics

Likes authority. ………………...Too direct or demanding

Takes charge……………….…..Pushy; can step in front of

others

Determined. …………………... Overbearing

Confident. …………………..…. Cocky

Firm ………………………...…...Unyielding

Enterprising. ……………..….... Takes big risks

Competitive. ……………….….. Cold blooded

Enjoys challenges. …….…..…..Avoids relations

Problem solver. ………….….... Too busy

Productive. ……….……….…... Overlooks feelings; do it now!

Bold. …………………….……... Insensitive

Purposeful; goal driven…..….... Imbalanced; workaholic

Decision maker. ………….….... Unthoughtful of others' wishes

Adventurous. ………………… .. Impulsive

Strong 'willed …………………...Stubborn

Independent; self reliant ……....Avoids people; seeking help

Controlling. ……………………...Bossy; overbearing

Persistent. ………………….….. Inflexible

Action oriented. ………………...Unyielding

"Let's do it now!"

Otter

Temperament Characteristics

Enthusiastic. ……………….…… Overbearing

Takes risks. …………………..… Dangerous and foolish

Visionary …………………….……Daydreamer

Motivator. ……………………..… Manipulator

Energetic. ……………………….. Impatient

Very verbal. ………………………Attacks under pressure

Promoter. ………………………… Exaggerates

Friendly, mixes easily…………… Shallow relationships

Enjoys popularity…………..….…. Too showy

Fun loving. …………………..…… Too flippant; not serious

Likes variety. ………………..…… Too scattered

Spontaneous. ……………….…… Not focused

Enjoys change. ………….……..… Lacks follow through

Creative; goes for new ideas. .…..Too unrealistic; avoids details

Group oriented. ………….….…… Bored with "process"

Optimistic………………….….……Doesn't see details

Initiator. ………………….….…….. Pushy

Infectious laughter……….….…… Obnoxious

Inspirational……………….…..…. Phony

"Trust me! It'll work out!"

Golden Retriever

Temperament Characteristics

Sensitive feelings. ……..…….… Easily hurt

Loyal. ………………………….… Misses opportunities

Calm; even keeled. ……….….… Lacks enthusiasm

Nondemanding ………….…...… Weakling; pushover

Avoids confrontations. .………… Misses honest intimacy

Enjoys routine …………….…..…Stays in rut

Dislikes change. ………….….… Not spontaneous

Warm and relational. …….….… Fewer deep friends

Gives in. ……………….……...… Co-dependent

Accommodating. …….…….…… Indecisive

Cautious humor. ……….….…… Overly cautious

Adaptable. ……………………..… Loses identity

Sympathetic. ………………..…… Holds on to others' hurts

Thoughtful. …………….………… Can be taken advantage of

Nurturing. …………….………..… Ears get smashed

Patient. …………………………… Crowded out by others

Tolerant. ………………….……… Weaker convictions

Good listener. …………………… Attracted to hurting people

Peacemaker. ………………….… Holds personal hurts inside

"Let's keep things the way they are."

Beaver

Temperament Characteristics

Reads all instructions. ….….…… Afraid to break rules

Accurate………………….………. Too critical

Consistent. ……………….……… Lacks spontaneity

Controlled. ……………….……… Too serious

Reserved …………………………Stuffy

Predictable. ……………………… Lacks variety

Practical. ………………………… Not adventurous

Orderly…………………….……… Rigid

Factual…………………….…..….. Picky

Conscientious. …………….…..… Inflexible

Perfectionistic …………….………Controlling

Discerning. ………………….…… Negative on new opportunities

Detailed. …………………….…… Rarely finishes a project

Analytical. …………………………Loses overview

Inquisitive……………………...…. Smothering

Precise. ……………………..…… Strict

Persistent …………….………...…Pushy

Scheduled. …………………….… Boring

Sensitive. ……………………...… Stubborn

"How was it done in the past ?"

It's not enough to know you have a hammer in your toolbox. Does you no good if you are trying to build watches. Likewise  - if you have jewelers screwdrivers in your toolbox, it's kinda foolish to show up at a construction site expecting to get much done. And - to carry this analogy to its limits... if you love to work in the outdoors you will be miserable being an accounting temp. And if you absolutely LOVE working with numbers, being on a road paving crew won't be your cup of tea.

Throughout my life, I have been a sailor, electronics technician, communications engineer, LAN/WAN design engineer, worship pastor/leader and professional musician. But it has only been as a professional musician - as it currently is happening in my life - that I have found my niche. This square peg has found a square hole to plop down into. Why didn't the other jobs work out as well? Because my temperament wasn't really suited very well. I did well in all those other jobs, as my skillsets served me well in each of them. The difference is that today, I am in a place where all my spiritual gifts are used to their maximum, and my temperament is ideally suited. I know the tools that are in my toolbox, and I know where I am to be using them. I am an otter. And I am in a good place.
You have to know yourself.
So..... take a spiritual gifts test. Find out what tools God has put in the toolbox called your life.
Then take a personality test of some kind - like the Gary Smalley test. Understand more about who you are. With those two items under your fingertips, you increase your chances of being effective and fulfilled.
Mr G