Our God-given personalities are all very unique; each of us brings something different to God’s table.
Take planning a trip with a friend for example: You might be more focused on having fun while you’re there, while your friend is more focused on making sure there’s a plan. The trip wouldn’t be successful without both of you working together, and that’s how God intended it to be. Our unique characteristics are a gift in our lives and God’s kingdom.
But, whether it be our interests, mannerisms, or personality traits, we also have a lot of things in common with each other. You and your friend might have different priorities in mind for your trip, but you have other things in common; maybe you’re both introverted or you both enjoy hiking or reading. Commonalities bring us together and give each of us a way to relate to another person in our life.
We know people that fit into each of the categories listed below, and we love them all. Each has a group they fit into, but they also have unique qualities that make them who they are. God perfectly knit us together to serve others with the characteristics people around us can relate to and the characteristics that are uniquely ours.
👨🍳 The Host (Luke 10:38-40)
The host is someone who feels like home. They love inviting people over and making them amazing food. Anyone is welcome in their house. We can see a biblical example of a host when looking at Luke 10. While Jesus was traveling with his disciples, he stopped in a village where a woman named Martha invited him into her home. Martha was busy trying to make the home comfortable for Jesus, while her sister Mary was sitting at his feet listening to him. Both of them thought they were doing important work, but in the presence of Jesus, Martha was more worried about the state of her home— wanting to act as the perfect host. Jesus doesn’t need us to make our home perfect for him; he just wants to be invited in. Which is why, shortly after, he tells Martha that Mary has made the right choice in sitting with him. He just wants to have a relationship with us, the other stuff isn’t as important. While we might want to go out of our way to make our lives and homes perfect for other people, too, what really matters is the time spent together.
🏞️ The Adventurer (Genesis 12:1-4)
The adventurer isn’t afraid to get out of their comfort zone. They’re outdoorsy and energetic, always ready to take on the next challenge. Abram, later known as Abraham, is a great biblical example of this. In Genesis 12, we see God calling Abram to leave his home and everything he’d ever known. This would’ve been a huge challenge, but Abram decided to obey God and trust that he would care for him. Soon after he set out on his journey, Abram convinced his wife to lie to Pharaoh to protect himself. Abram was willing to get out of his comfort zone to please God, but once he got scared, he began to doubt God’s plan and took matters into his own hands. Willing to obey God despite the cost is hard, but enduring the journey while still staying true to God can be even harder.
💟 The Caregiver (Ruth 1:16-18)
The caregiver looks after everyone around them. They are sweet, structured, and super supportive; you can always count on them to be your biggest cheerleader. Ruth is a perfect biblical example of the caregiver. Ruth was Naomi’s daughter-in-law, and when both of their husbands died, Naomi expected Ruth to abandon her and go back to her old life. But Ruth insisted on staying with Naomi, taking care of her, and following her wherever she was going. While Ruth’s act was one of love, caregivers should also remember that their own needs are just as important, so while taking care of others, they should make sure they’re checking in on themselves too.
🍭🍋 The Protector (1 Samuel 17:32)
The protector is the best of both worlds: sweet on the outside, sour on the inside. This type is kind just like the caregiver, but they’re also ready to stand up for themselves and others any chance they get. David shows us what it means to have the heart of a protector in 1 Samuel, when he volunteers to fight Goliath, a 9-foot tall Philistine that was threatening Israel. Some think David was around the age of 15 when this happened. Still, to defend God’s army, he was willing to stand up to someone no one else would. This is an amazing quality, but protectors might need to remember that it’s important for others to take a stand too. And they may need to learn to trust God with some circumstances instead of trying to fix them on their own.
