I while ago I asked a pastor's wife friend of mine if she knew of any Bible studies I could participate in. Ultimately, this lead to my taking a Ministry by Strengths course built on the foundation of the Tom Rath book, Strengths Finder 2.0. The basic gist of the study is that trying to improve our weak areas is futile; instead we should figure out what are strengths are and maximize them. We will work best when we work to our strengths. By earthly logic, this sounds like a can't miss.
In the process of the study, I have taken a lengthy likert scale questionnaire assessing my leanings towards several character traits. The scoring gives me my five top strengths, which for the purpose of this study fall into four main themes.
The four main themes are:
My strengths and how they define me came out as such:
Relating theme:
Relator - I am pulled towards people I know and enjoy the relationships I have with my close friends.
Striving theme:
Achiever - I have a consistent need for achievement. I need to achieve things in order to feel satisfied.
Thinking theme:
Deliberative - This trait describes me as a careful, vigilant, private person. I am a fairly serious person who recognizes the risks and am cautious in which way I go and with whom I associate.
Input - This trait describes someone who is inquisitive, a collector of knowledge (or things), always wanting to learn (or have) something new.
Learner - Similar to input, this theme describes my love of learning, especially the process of learning (researching). I am energized by the deliberate journey from ignorance to knowledge.
Overall, I feel my top five strengths do describe me well. At this age in life, I know who I am, and I know the areas God is constantly working on with me. Finding I had these "strengths" was nothing unexpected. Within the four themes, there are 34 possible strengths for each person. I'm sure many people would easily describe themselves with a large handful of the many available traits.
The Ministry by Strengths study has worksheets for each of 7 weeks. Much journaling is expected as one discovers his strengths and the importance of learning to work with them. The first three weeks build up to our taking the online questionnaire which, when scored, points out our top five strengths. Very little Bible is referenced for these three weeks. Weeks four through six involve discussion of each of the strengths, and how we see them impacting our lives. Only a little scripture is discussed in class, but the handout for week four includes biblical examples of each of the 34 strengths in action.
The biblical examples for my top five strengths were listed as the following:
Relator: Elijah and Elisha had this strength, as they had a closeness to each other to the point of Elijah's translation. In the book of Acts, the church has this strength in that the believers were together and had everything in common.
Achiever: Martha was an "over" achiever - in that she was too focused on getting things done instead of doing what her sister Mary did - listen to Jesus, sitting at his feet. Proverbs 13:4 says "The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." Ephesians 2:10 says "we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." See also 1 Thessalonians 1:31 Thessalonians 1:3 (ESV)
remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. .
Deliberative: Judges 6:36-40Judges 6:36-40 (ESV)
Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew. tells the story of Gideon asking God to place dew on a fleece but not the ground, and then the next night, just to be sure, he asks God to do the opposite. In Luke 14:31-32Luke 14:31-32 (ESV)
Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. , Jesus tells a parable of the importance of assessing whether or not one can go to war against another, and if not, send a delegation (Jesus is discussing the seriousness of the decision to follow him).
Input: Ezra had this strength in his study, observance, and teaching of the Law of the Lord (Ezra 7:10Ezra 7:10 (ESV)
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. ). In Luke 12:15-21Luke 12:15-21 (ESV)
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Jesus warns of too much of the input trait in the story of the rich man who had so much from his crops that he tore down his barns to build bigger ones, only to have his soul required of him - the lesson being not to store things up for yourself when you are not rich towards God.
Learner: Solomon was a dedicated learner (Ecclesiastes 1:12-17Ecclesiastes 1:12-17 (ESV)
I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. ). Jesus states we should learn from him; his yoke is easy (Matthew 11:29-30Matthew 11:29-30 (ESV)
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” ). In Colossians 1:9-10Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV)
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Paul prays that God will fill us with all knowledge of Him.
My initial thought is that this is not a Bible study. This is simply a self-improvement course which follows the same earthly logic of most self-improvement courses. It offers a method to learn about and improve oneself. As the Tom Rath book is by no means Christian, and offers no biblical basis for its structure, any biblical connections made are an afterthought by the Ministry of Strengths team. This study didn't start with the Bible, but did make some small attempts to work backwards into a biblical connection.
Going into this study, having known myself for forty-some years, I could have told people what my stronger personality traits and preferences are, whether for good or for bad. Reviewing these often was a conversation in the obvious. I found it interesting that personally I see some of my "strengths" as negatives. Due to my achiever strength I often become obsessed on things that I should be relaxed about. I work too hard and don't rest when involved in a project. My need for Me to start a project for Myself can actually be a distraction to time with God.
While there are certainly benefits to the deliberative strength, this "strength" also causes me to be unnecessarily untrusting, and unwilling to take risks that may work out to be great benefits in my life. It also hinders my trust in God when He asks me to "step out in faith" in something that may not make sense in the natural. His wisdom is foolishness to man, and a man with a deliberative strength doesn't really trust in what is perceived as foolishness.
When it comes to gaining knowledge, I see very little difference between the input and learner strengths. For me, these can be positives, as I research things well, including the word of God. It is the reason for this essay you are reading. For tangible things, though, the input strength can be a negative for me, as I can easily become obsessed with collecting things I don't really need, spending quite a bit of money in the process.
In reviewing my strengths, I honestly don't think I need to maximize some of them; I need to reign them in!
As we were going through the strengths one by one in class, we started with the relating themed strengths. My natural self is not strong in these areas. I became excited a couple of times in the study when we were discussing an area of possible strength and I recalled examples of how God has worked with me in these areas. When discussing empathy and includer I even spoke up with how God has pushed me in these areas which are not in my fleshly nature. My comments, though, were not met with great reception, as it was perceived by some in the study that I was incorrectly focusing on my areas of weaknesses - something we shouldn't do due to the futility of doing so. We are supposed to maximize our strengths.
This really got me thinking. The more we went over the relating theme strengths all I could see was that for nearly every strength, we are ALL supposed to improve in the "strength" or trait as we grow in Christ. The "strengths" are Bible mandates! For the impacting and striving themed strengths, it was clear that in some aspect, we should all demonstrate the traits in our lives, though some could clearly have a strength in a trait compared to others. As we moved through the striving themes and into the thinking themes, I often thought how such "strengths" or traits could be negatives (sometimes) causing people to easily develop dependence on themselves, and themselves alone. If there were no God in the picture of humanity, then things would be different, but as it is, as Christians, we need to be careful of self-dependence when our lives are supposed to be fully rooted in Christ.
Towards the end of the study, we compared how our positions in life (jobs/career/etc.) lined up with our strengths. We were also to consider: Are we doing what we are called to do? For me, my strengths line up very well with my unique career. But that's no surprise. God took a total stranger and had him give me an all expense paid education involving two graduate degrees in my career field - a field I didn't even know existed before it was placed in my lap. However, my calling is much more than my career - even if my career is God given. My calling involves how I allow God to use me in my career, and for God to use me in my position, he has had to work on many areas that are not strengths to me, areas that the Ministry by Strengths authors would suggest I not focus on. God's focus is not man's focus, and that is the fundamental truth that is missing in this study.
The paragraphs above show the gist of this study as it played out for me. The paragraphs below will be an exegesis of the 34 strengths in an effort to see what the Bible says about each. The 34 strengths are laid out under their main theme, with a brief summary of Rath's book's definition. Under each description the Ministry by Strengths course's scripture references, and other references/commentary are provided:
The strengths listed under the relating theme are: communication, empathy, harmony, includer, individualization, and responsibility. At first glance, it is clear that these are traits all Christians should be known for. In reading through the scriptural examples, it is confirmed that many of these are simply to be the traits of a Christian. If by the nature of following a strengths course we find we don't have these traits, we should know that we should seek God to better develop these aspects of His Spirit within us. If we find we do have these strengths, then we will need to be sure we are using them for His Kingdom and glory. Either way, scripture would suggest that these should all be strengths to be maximized. Unfortunately, as the Ministry by Strengths study frowns upon wasting time focusing on improving areas of weaknesses, those who don't have natural strengths in the relating theme areas are not encouraged to seek God regarding the weakness.
Communication. This strength is defined just as you would expect. People with this strength communicate well, bringing life to the events they speak or write about. People hear and take in what a communicator has to say:
Colossians 4:5-6: Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
From the Colossians verse, I see that we all should be able to communicate our faith to others. I find the second example of a communicator given in the study materials interesting. Exodus 4:10-16Exodus 4:10-16 (ESV)
But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. shows how Aaron was a man with a strength in communication. It is true that Aaron was a good communicator, and God let Moses use Aaron to speak for him, but... this was not God's intent. God had told Moses himself to go, and God had said he would teach Moses what to say. Moses had complained that he was "slow of speech and tongue" and God responded by pointing out that He had made man's tongue and that He would be with Moses' mouth... but Moses continued to complain. "Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well." It was in anger that God sent Aaron with Moses. Clearly, God's initial intent was to use Moses, and to show His strength despite Moses' weakness in communication.
As we have worked through this study on maximizing our strengths, the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9 have continually come to my mind:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Empathy. These people can sense the emotions of those around them and can see the world through another's eyes. The empathizer may not agree with another, but he does understand. Someone with empathy can hear the unspoken question:
Matthew 7:12: So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
1 Peter 3:8 - Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
1 Corinthians 12:26 - If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
Galatians 6:2 - Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Harmony. Someone with the harmony strength does not see the value in conflict or confrontation, but seeks agreement. Finding the common ground is a gift, and focusing on that ground moves people forward:
Romans 12:16-18 - Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Romans 14:19 - So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Includer. This person wants everyone to feel involved and accepted. The includer wants to draw others in, and casts few judgments so that others can benefit from the larger group:
Romans 14:1 - As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.
Romans 15:7 - Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Individualization. An observer of others, the person with a strength in individualization is intrigued by the unique qualities of others and sees the differences between people. You can sense the strengths in others, and draw those out in your interactions with them:
Exodus 35:30-35Exodus 35:30-35 (ESV)
Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer. tells of Moses pointing out the strengths and teaching abilities of those chosen by God for various tasks in building the Tabernacle. 1 Corinthians 12 speaks of the many parts and purposes of the body in the body of Christ.
I agree that some people may have a true strength above the average person in being able to see purpose in others and organize a team accordingly, however, scripture makes it clear we should all be cognizant of the value and purpose of everyone in the body of Christ.
Relator. The relator is pulled towards people he already knows and derives pleasure from being around close friends. The relator is comfortable with intimacy and enjoys an increasing understanding of how the other person works. Relationships are valuable if they are genuine:
Acts 2:42-47Acts 2:42-47 (ESV)
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. tells of how the early church had all things in common and shared all things. The second reference in the study speaks of Elisha wanting a double portion of Elijah's anointing, and the close relationship he held with Elijah until the point of his translation.
While provided in the Ministry By Strengths study materials, neither illustration above gives a great example of a relator as defined in Rath's book. It should go without saying that as a Christian we should be able to hold close relationships where we are accountable to another and support one another. Some verses along this line would be:
1 Thessalonians 5:11 - Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
James 5:16 - Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Proverbs 27:17 - Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Romans 12:15 - Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Responsibility. This person feels emotionally bound to follow through with commitments. When someone with responsibility fails at a commitment, apologies are not enough, and peace is not found until restoration is made. At times, this person may take on more than can be handled:
Genesis 39:6-10Genesis 39:6-10 (ESV)
So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master's wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. tells of a man who has a clear strength in responsibility - Joseph. Even when tempted, he held to his responsibility to the pharaoh. But responsibility is still for all Christians. Matthew 5:37Matthew 5:37 (ESV)
Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. says to let your yes be a yes, and your no be a no - even to your own hurt. James 1:22-24James 1:22-24 (ESV)
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. speaks to our responsibility to DO the word of God, and not just hear it.
Looking back over the strengths listed under the relating theme, it is clear that these are all strengths that should be possessed to some degree by all Christians, and more so as the believer matures in Christ. They describe the character of a Christian as outlined in scripture. If we don't see these in our lives, then we need to look inwardly and figure out why. This does not mean that non-Christians can't have these strengths, too. They can, and in sad cases, the non-believer may be self-satisfied in having the strengths. The non-believer may think, "I treat others so well, so clearly I am a "good person"." Because of this, these people often feel they don't need salvation. But the fact remains, for Christians, the strengths in the relating theme are expected and they are expected for the purpose of bringing glory to God in how we relate to others. The verses in the relating theme are verses to all, describing the character we should all have. The examples are typically not unique examples of individuals operating in a unique strength.
The second theme is the impacting theme. The strengths within this theme are command, competition, developer, maximizer, positivity, and woo. These traits should be seen to some extent in all Christians. It is what makes us good witnesses, which we are all called to be in how we live our daily lives. These strengths can also be abused by the ungodly. As you read below, think about how well various cult leaders have fared in the impacting theme strengths.
Command. This strength leads someone to "take charge." A commander has no issues with imposing his views on others; his opinion needs to be shared. Confrontation is not something to be avoided as it is the first step towards resolution. The facts are what matters, whether good or bad. John 2:13-16 says:
The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.”
In some ways, command appears to contradict harmony. The Christian must find balance between the two, being sure not to back down when the truth of God is at stake, but also being sure not to force opinions that don't really matter in the long run. Someone with command may make a good manager.
Competition. A "strength" rooted in comparison, someone with competition needs to outperform others. Competitors invigorate, but the desire is to win, not just to play the game.
In 1 Samuel 17:32-50 we have the story of David and Goliath. David had a competition strength, and he played to win (and did win).
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
This trait could clearly be a positive or negative, depending on the spirit of the one with the "strength." In our Christian life, though, we should all be running the race as to win, but in this sense, our "competition" is against the darkness that holds humanity away from God and the "race" is in bringing the truth of salvation to the world. We are all to be competing to win in this.
Developer. A developer sees the potential in others and strives to see others succeed. A developer challenges others, and signs of growth in others is fuel for the developer. Others see the developer's helpfulness as genuine.
Acts 11:25-26Acts 11:25-26 (ESV)
So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. - Barnabas was a developer to Saul shortly after his conversion.
Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:15-16 - Here, Paul is developing Timothy with encouraging instruction)
In a sense, we should all help to develop those around us though some will clearly have a strength in this area compared to others. Teachers could make good use of a developer strength.
Maximizer. A maximizer enjoys further developing the strengths in others, and himself. He doesn't focus on weaknesses, but instead wants to make what is already good into something excellent.
Genesis 1: The study materials suggest that God's creating the universe was an example of the maximizer strength.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Positivity. People with this strength celebrate every achievement, bring a lighthearted joy to situations, and draw people in with their great attitude. These people always see the best in situations.
Psalm 100Psalm 100 (ESV)
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. says that all the earth is to be thankful, with joy towards the Lord. We enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.
One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). (John 1:40-42)
The study materials suggest Andrew had contagious positivity. While this may be true, I don't know that this is the point of the scripture. Andrew found the Christ! Of course he told his brother. As for the verse in Psalm 100, and many like it, we are all called to be continually thankful towards the Lord.
Woo. Woo stands for Winning Others Over. Someone with Woo enjoys meeting new people and starting conversations; strangers are rarely intimidating - in fact, they are friends not yet met. Once an initial connection is made, someone with Woo will often move on to the next person.
In Acts 8:29-40Acts 8:29-40 (ESV)
And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” --- And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. Philip is instructed by God to go to a chariot where a man was reading Isaiah. Philip was able to explain Christ in the scriptures, leading to the man's salvation. At this point, Philip was removed by the Spirit to the town of Azotus and the man in the chariot went away rejoicing.
While I would not necessarily say this reference demonstrates woo more than obediently communicating the gospel when told to by the Spirit of God, it is clear in society that people can have a strength in this area. Like the other examples in the impacting theme, what matters is how one uses the traits they have, and in some sense, we are all called to be prepared to act in these traits when the opportunity for witnessing arrives. If we feel weak in these areas, we should be open to allowing God to strengthen us as he promised he would, so that we can be his witnesses (See Luke 24:49Luke 24:49 (ESV)
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” , John 14:16John 14:16 (ESV)
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, , Acts 1:4Acts 1:4 (ESV)
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; , Romans 8:15Romans 8:15 (ESV)
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” , 2 Timothy 1:72 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. ).
The striving themed strengths are achiever, activator, adaptability, belief, discipline, focus, restorative, self-assurance, and significance. Previous to this point, most of the strengths seemed to be personality traits that we should all have to some degree as a Christian. As the Spirit of God moves in our lives, taking us from glory to glory in changing us into the image of Christ, the strengths above, especially the relating themed strengths, should be expected to develop as they represent the character of Christ. With the striving theme I began seeing some "strengths" as personality traits that may not necessarily work towards our benefit. Many of the strengths in the next two sections can easily lead someone who has them into self-dependence, with success being found in having the strengths themselves, and not in dependence on Christ. At this point in the study, I came to see that the "strengths" would be better defined as personality traits that we may or may not naturally have. Rath's book has a comparative "mismanagement risk" associated with each strength. With this, the innate trait can be a benefit or a negative, depending on how it is used or developed. Many are traits that we should develop as Christians, simply as they describe how a Christian should be. Others can become weaknesses as they pull us away from God and into the security of our own successes and abilities. We must always be aware of our heart.
Achiever. An achiever has a strong drive, and a constant need for achievement. Doing something tangible makes the achiever feel good about himself, and days of rest are not typically allowed. Every day needs some level of achievement. This need for achievement gives the achiever energy and a jolt to get things started, but always exists as a nagging dis-quietness saying that something needs to be accomplished.
This was the first "strength" where a biblical example given in the study materials is of the strength in a negative light. It is also one of my strengths where I personally feel that the trait is as much of a curse as a blessing. In Luke 10:38-40Luke 10:38-40 (ESV)
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” , Mary's sister Martha is "achieving" while Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet. Martha complains that she is doing all this work by herself and asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus points out that Mary has in fact, chosen the better thing by sitting, listening at his feet.
Proverbs 13:4 - The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
1 Thessalonians 1:3 - (We are) remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:10 - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
The above verses do state that we should be workers and not lazy. However, the achiever is more than a worker, and would consider required rest or not focusing on a task that may not necessarily need to be done immediately as laziness. The new testament verses given as examples show work done for the glory of Christ, but even for Christian achievers, it is easy to get caught up in work that has nothing to do with the Kingdom of God. Since the achiever's feeling of satisfaction comes from achieving, this person can easily be self-satisfied in his own workings. Matthew 11:28-30 says that we are to take Christ's yoke upon us, and he will give us rest. Work for God, if done with and in his strength, will include a rest component. Someone overly charged by an achiever spirit will struggle with the restfulness of working for Christ. Mark 2:27 states that "the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." Rest is important. Rest can be the achiever's enemy, and greatest need.
Activator. Action is what counts. Analysis and debate may have its place, but action is what matters, because it is action that makes things happen. The activator feels that acting is the best source of learning. You make a decision, take an action, and look at the result. The activator is happy to be judged by what he does, not what he says or thinks.
Nehemiah's encouraging his team to get started on rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem shows his strength as an activator (see Nehemiah 2:17-18Nehemiah 2:17-18 (ESV)
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. ).
James 4:17 - So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
I like James' verse here. We all know some right things we should do, and we all should activate doing those things, and if we don't, it is sin. While some will have a true strength in this area, we all are required to be activating what we know God has put before us to do.
Adaptability: For someone with strong adaptability, the future is not fixed, but something to be created by the choices made right now. This person doesn't become bothered by the unexpected or detours, but expects them to interrupt the path.
Matthew 6: 33-34 - But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
James 4:13-16 - Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”- Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
The verse in James above may make some feel that adaptability and achiever are incompatible strengths, but that is only true if you are focused on achieving for yourself and not on achieving for God. From the verses above, it is clear that all Christians will need to be flexible at times, and focus on the now rather than worrying about the future. As we work to achieve the desires he has put in our hearts, God can handle whatever comes our way.
Belief: Someone with belief has certain core values that are enduring. These values will impact behavior in the day-to-day and give value to life. Typically someone with belief will value ethics and responsibility in himself and others. Success is more than just financial stability. Work must be valuable and mesh with one's core beliefs.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
I find it interesting that belief shows up strong for people who have a "good moral foundation" or "positive work ethic." We all believe in something, even if it is that there isn't anything of value in life or that it doesn't matter what we do, and what we believe naturally influences how we live. I guess belief can be considered a strength if A: one believes in something society considers positive and B: we act on that belief in how we behave before the world.
Discipline: Rath's book states that if you are a person with a strength in discipline, then your world needs to be predictable, ordered, and planned. This person sets up routines and timelines, imposing structure on his world. This person wants to feel in control despite the inherent messiness of life. It is wise for the disciplined person to realize that not everyone senses his innate need for predictability and order, and that other people have their own ways of getting things done.
The study materials use Exodus 20 to show the discipline strength in the giving of the ten commandments. In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 14:33, 40 is used. This says "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace... But all things should be done decently and in order." (found in a section of scripture discussing orderly worship).
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)
I believe it is clear all Christians should have a measure of self-control, and the verse in Second Timothy suggests that this is not necessarily something we can singularly develop ourselves, for the spirit of self-control comes from God (it is a fruit of the spirit: Galatians 5:23Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ). Those who do have a natural strength in self-control may grow to feel that they are keeping themselves and may be less likely to see the need to have God's Spirit working in their lives.
Focus: The person with focus is guided by his goals. Goals help determine if an activity is worth the time and effort (does it help me reach my goal or not). A focused person is forced to filter out those tasks that ultimately do not matter. In business, the person with focus will keep the group on task. One with focus must be careful not to become too impatient with others, delays, and the unexpected obstacle. The Ministry by Strengths materials uses Acts 9:17-22 to describe focus:
So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
James 4:17James 4:17 (ESV)
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. also shows the need for a Christian to have focus.
Restorative: The restorative person loves to solve problems and can even be energized by breakdowns. The challenge of analyzing symptoms, identifying issues and implementing solutions is enjoyable, especially if the problems are practical. The focused person likes problems similar to ones he has encountered before as he is sure he can offer a solution but that doesn't mean he shies away from the more challenging conundrums. The restorative person feels that without his guidance and intervention, the company/thing/person/etc. would stop functioning.
John 3:16John 3:16 (ESV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. : Jesus is the great restorer.
The Ministry by Strengths materials also use 1 Peter 5:10 (shown with 6-10 for context):
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
I like how both verses show God/Jesus as the restorer, and not man. This is so true in life. While we may be used by God to bring his restoration to others, and while we may be able to bring restoration to earthly things, he is the only true restorer. On a side note, I also like these verses because it undercuts the idea that if we become a Christian we won't have to suffer anything in this world. Our restoration by Christ does not involve the promise of a perfect life here on earth.
Self-Assurance: The strength of self-assurance is the knowledge that one is "able." Able to take risks, meet new challenges, stake claims, and deliver. It is a deep faith in our strengths and judgments. It is the knowledge that no one else can make decisions for you, and that you alone have the authority to form conclusions, make decisions, and act.
My initial impression is that self-assurance could lead to enmity with God.
The study materials speak of John the Baptist having self-assurance (Matthew 3:1-5Matthew 3:1-5 (ESV)
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ). While it may appear that John had self assurance, and it may be that he did, ultimately his assurance was in his God and the Spirit of God that had been with him from the womb.
The second example given is of Paul's independence and confidence in running his own race (Philippians 3:12-14Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV)
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ). Similar to John, I would say that Paul's appearance of self-assurance was really his focus on the task God had given him in Christ. Paul makes it very clear that his assurance is in Jesus. Verse 14 says "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." His pressing towards the goal was due to the call of God in Christ Jesus.
Abraham is a good example of someone who, to some, may have seemed self-assured, but his assurance too was in Christ (See Romans 4:3Romans 4:3 (ESV)
For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” , as well as Ephesians 2:8-9Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. , Titus 3:5-7Titus 3:5-7 (ESV)
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. )
The material's example from Philippians must be considered in light of the whole chapter, especially Philippians 3: 8-9:
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ
Significance: The final strength under the Striving theme is significance. I was glad the class participants struggled with seeing this trait as a a "strength." This trait is defined by Rath's book as wanting to be significant in the eyes of others, wanting to be recognized and heard. People with significance want to stand out and be known and appreciated for what they bring to (the group, friends, etc.). This person needs to be admired as credible, professional and successful, and wants to associate with others who are the same. Someone with significance has an independent spirit that wants work to be a way of life rather than just a job. This person wants "free reign" to do things the way he wants.
All I can think of here is "Me me me me me me me me me." This is not a strength, especially in the Christian life.
The scriptural examples were of Jesus claiming his own significance. Only he could have this strength and get away with it, for Jesus truly is the Christ of God (see John 2:18-22John 2:18-22 (ESV)
So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. and 14:6John 14:6 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. )
The thinking theme includes the following strengths: analytical, arranger, connectedness, consistency, context, deliberative, futuristic, ideation, input, intellection, learner, and strategic.
Analytical: The analytical trait wants others to "prove it." The analytical person wants theories and ideas to be sound; he likes data and evidence. He likes that data has no values and no agendas. This person likes seeing the patterns in life, and learning how patterns influence one another. Peeling back the layers, the analytical person looks for the root of the matter. Others see this person as logical and rigorous.
A negative view of the analytical spirit is shown in Thomas, who wanted "proof" that Jesus had in fact risen from the grave (see John 20:25-28John 20:25-28 (ESV)
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ).
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? (Luke 14:28)
Here, Jesus points out the importance of the analytical strength in planning. Proverbs 20:18 shows a similar thought:
Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.
An analytical strength can work for you are against you. God is gracious, though, and like with Timothy, if you are really seeking to know the truth, God will reveal himself to you in a way that will be convincing to your analytical style. As a member of the study group pointed out, it was St. Thomas Aquinas' writings which ultimately convinced him of the truth of God in Christ. However, not all of God's ways will make sense to the foolish natural mind (see Isaiah 55:9Isaiah 55:9 (ESV)
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. and 1 Corinthians 1:181 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV)
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ), and for these, their analytical style may keep them from receiving the truth of God. Most atheists I have met have been quiet analytical.
Arranger: The arranger enjoys managing the many facets and variables of a complex situation. It doesn't seem special to the arranger - she is just doing what needs to be done in the best way possible. To others, though, the arranger's talent is impressive - the ability to keep so many things in her head at once while being flexible with all the various needs and circumstances.
Exodus 18:13-24Exodus 18:13-24 (ESV)
The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Moses' father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. demonstrates how Jethro used the arranger strength to assist Moses.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ... For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. (1 Corinthians 12:12, 14-20)
With the above, it is clear we should all realize we have a part in Christ, and we should recognize that everyone else does as well.
I do see arranger as a strength that some people have more than others. They can use it for their own good, for their company's good, and even in service to God.
Connectedness:
The connectedness strength was formerly known as spirituality, but Rath's book didn't want to be associated with the "spiritual" construct that raised. For a person with connectedness, everything happens for a reason. This person feels all are connected, and despite our free will, we are all a part of something larger. Because of this, we all have certain responsibilities as members of humanity. Many new age thinkers have a connectedness component to their belief system.
The study materials use Genesis 45:8-11Genesis 45:8-11 (ESV)
So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’ to show the connectedness strength in Joseph, as he talks about how God brought everything together and had a purpose for what was allowed to happen (Josephs' brothers sold him as a slave and God used that to bring salvation in the midst of famine). Really, though, in this example, Joseph is demonstrating hindsight.
Another example given by the study materials is Matthew 17:20b:
For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.
Better examples show connectedness as trust we should have as followers of Christ.
Hebrews 11:1-3 - Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
Romans 8: 28 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. and 38-39: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I like the above verses. As Christians, we can have faith in the assurance of God's control in this life, no matter what we are faced with.
Consistency: For the person with consistency, balance is important. People need to be treated the same, regardless of their situation in life; the scales should not be tipped too far in anyone's favor, which can lead to selfishness and individualism. The person with consistency is a guardian against the injustice of using connections to "grease the wheels." Special favors are a distaste.
Joshua 14:6-13Joshua 14:6-13 (ESV)
Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought him word again as it was in my heart. But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said.” Then Joshua blessed him, and he gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. shows Caleb's consistency over four and a half decades. It was because of this that Caleb was one of only two people from the original tribe of Israel that was able to cross over into the promised land.
I Corinthians 1:10 - I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment (this is a good verse showing that God does not show favoritism - he favors everyone!).
Ephesians 4:1-6 - I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
The above verse covers harmony, maximizer, developer, and includer well as well.
Context: Someone with context looks back to the past to find answers for the present. Understanding the present via the past gives calm and confidence, giving a sense of the underlying structure. The seeds for the future were sown in the past.
The materials use 1 Samuel 12:6-131 Samuel 12:6-13 (ESV)
And Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous deeds of the Lord that he performed for you and for your fathers. When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, then your fathers cried out to the Lord and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. But they forgot the Lord their God. And he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them. And they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth. But now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, that we may serve you.’ And the Lord sent Jerubbaal and Barak and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety. And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when the Lord your God was your king. And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the Lord has set a king over you. . Much like Joseph above, Samuel uses hindsight to show how the past has impacted the present. Samuel uses context to show how the decisions of the Israelites have brought them to the place they are at (in having a king appointed over them).
Ecclesiastes 3:15 - That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.
Hebrews 1:1-2 - Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
We need people with context in our society to remind us that our choices have consequences, as we can see from all of history.
Deliberative: The deliberative person is careful and vigilant. He sees the world as unpredictable and is aware of the underlying risks. He draws those risks out so they can be dealt with. The deliberative person is a serious person who approaches life with reserve, proceeding cautiously.
I can relate to Gideon's seeking double assurance from God with the fleece (see Judges 6:36-40Judges 6:36-40 (ESV)
Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.” And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew. ). I'm happy to see God was gracious in providing for Gideon's need for surety. I too am deliberative, and at times, this makes it hard to trust in things outside of our natural realm. There is a such thing as "too cautious." Used appropriately, though, a deliberative strength can keep people safe.
Futuristic: The person with a futuristic strength loves to look ahead towards the horizon. The hopes and desires for tomorrow keep the futuristic person moving forward, always reaching towards that next prize. This person paints an exciting picture of tomorrow, and can encourage others in their doing so.
Matthew 26:64 - Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Proverbs 23:18 - Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off
Here I see that God is futuristic, and that we should all have a sense of hope in our own futures because of what God has done.
Ideation: This person is fascinated by ideas. This person likes to explain why things are they way they are, showing the underlying order for things. This person is always looking for connections and likes to finds new perspectives on familiar challenges. A person of ideation can explain things in a new way from a different angle, bringing clarity that may not have been apparent before.
Joshua 2:1-24 tells the story of Rahab, "a woman with ideation in a crisis." Rahab hid the men of God and helped them escape their pursuers.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
If looking at the Romans verse, then it is clear that we are all supposed to be allowing God to work with us in the renewing of our minds, which if practiced, will lead to many changes in who we are, as we are conformed to his image.
Input: A person with a strength in input is inquisitive and collects things (both knowledge and tangible objects). He finds knowledge exciting and so many things to be interesting. The infinite variety and complexity of the world is enchanting. This person may want a bit of everything, whether he knows exactly why or not (in excess, this can lead to hording).
For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. (Ezra 7:10)
The above verse, given in the materials, reminds me of 2 Timothy 2:15:
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (the KJV says "study to show thyself...")
Luke 12:15-21Luke 12:15-21 (ESV)
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” gives warning not to let this trait overrule you. Life is not in what we collect or in our stuff. It is also not in the collection of worldly knowledge. We are to be rich towards God.
Intellection: A person with intellection likes mental activity - exercising the muscles of the brain. Mental activity can be either focused or without focus; it is the activity of thinking that is enjoyed. Time alone is enjoyed; these thinkers like to be introspective. Mental hum is a constant.
The study materials use the story of Job, and Job's reasoning to demonstrate strength in intellection. While Job never did curse God, his thinking did not bring him the answers he sought. Those came only from God. Job's friends, as well, practiced intellection with their reasoning with Job, but their wisdom, too, was worldly, and not accurate.
And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2:17-19)
It is interesting here that like in Job, the true intellection comes from God - the shepherds were simply stating what they had been told by the angel of the Lord.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)
We are all called to practice intellection, in that we should mediate on the Word of God and whatever is worthy in his sight.
Learner: The learner loves to learn and the process of learning. The process is what is exciting. The learner enjoys taking on new tasks in order to learn new skills.
Ecclesiastes 1:12-17Ecclesiastes 1:12-17 (ESV)
I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. shows how Solomon realized in his older age that all his chasing after wisdom, including "all that is done under heaven" was folly. As he sated in vs. 18: For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
This world's wisdom will never satisfy. Only the wisdom of God has answers for our earthly questions.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:29-30)
This verse supports the findings from the words of Solomon. The verse below supports that we should encourage this for all believers.
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:9-10)
Whether we call it intellection or learner, we should focus on the praiseworthy things of God.
Strategic: A person with a strategic strength enjoys sorting through the clutter with his distinctive way of thinking in order to find the best route or solution. This person may see patterns that are missed by others and likes asking the question, "What IF we tried this?" or "What IF this happened?" This way of questioning lets the strategic person see around the next corner and evaluate potential obstacles so that they can be avoided.
Mark 6:37-44Mark 6:37-44 (ESV)
But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. tells of one of the examples where Jesus feeds several thousands with a minuscule amount of food. Jesus was strategic in how he decided to feed the masses. Not a great example of the strength as seen in an individual, but it's the only biblical connection made by the Ministry by Strengths materials. Clearly God is strategic. From before the foundations of this world until after this world melts away, it is clear God has been deliberately strategic in his plans.
While I would not recommend the Ministry by Strengths materials as a Bible study, that does not mean the program's concepts are not without merit. Rath's book sets a solid foundation that could be used by multiple organizations. The military, our schools, and nearly every business could benefit from better placement of their enlistees/students/employees. For Christians, it too can be beneficial to be aware of one's innate personality traits. However, within the confines of the Christian life, it is clear that our innate "strengths" aren't necessarily the facets of our personalities that God will always choose to use as he works through us. First Corinthians 12:6 says "there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone." While he can certainly choose to use us in our areas of strength, God is very much known for working through our weaknesses as well. We've all heard the story of a successful minister who spent his entire life "working" for God within the confines of his strengths only to realize as he matured that the things he did "for God" - God didn't ask him to do any of them.
God will let us know what we need to do, and if we lack in area of ability required, God will work with us to bring about the necessary traits within us. For some strengths, it is clear that for Christians, the strengths should be developed as God changes us from glory to glory into his image; many of the strengths speak directly to his personality which should be seen in all his children. Many times, though, he may ask us to crucify those areas were are naturally strong, as those "strengths" cause us to depend on ourselves and not on God as our true provider. For others, we may be asked to "stop trusting in" our strengths, and give the talent to him, to see what he can do that we never even imagined. The study, for me at least, and this website is titled My Metanoia, was too restrictive - a formula we should assume God will use. There are thousands of formulas out there, and like many of the others, while well intended, the formula ends up putting God into our human sized box. God is so much bigger than any box our meager social sciences could construct.
If You Do Not Forgive Others Their Trespasses and the Message of Grace Healing? Yes!