Sometimes I can't get something out of my head. Many times, it's annoying, useless type stuff, but other times, I really think it's God trying to teach me something (most of the time it's the same stuff over and over...apparently I'm a slow learner.) Last week, in our adult Sunday School, there was a question in our book, that asked us to name three words that describe our personality. Silence. It's hard! Try it! It doesn't seem like it should be difficult...but as words came to mind, I realized they were representative of me, but not necessarily my personality. As I looked around the room, I could think of all kinds of wonderful descriptive words for the others, but not myself. This has been bugging me. Why am I not able to narrow it down to three words that wrap up my personality?!?So...this has got me thinking about other people's personality's (because that's what I do when I don't want to deal with myself, of course:) As I look at my kids, it's so evident that they are each born with unique personalities. We each have a unique "bent" we were born with, but what seems even more evident is the choices that we've made and how they've shaped us. I know people whose personalities seemed to change because of choices. Unforgiveness=bitterness, fear=insecurity etc.
I also realized that there are definite personalities that I am drawn to...something about them that makes me want to emulate them. I also know that personalities rub off on me...I've hung around with people whose sort of toxic personalities changed mine...and it took awhile for me to figure out who I really was again. It's how I learned that if I truly want to posses the kind of qualities that I admire, then I have to be drawing closest to the one I admire most...Jesus. I can truthfully say, that my personality aside from Him, not lovely. On my own, I am critical, unloving, and a whole list of other junk that is less than appealing. At times, when I've walked away from Him, and gone it on my own...my personality immediately reverts back to those qualities. Unfortunately, during those times, I'm a poor representative of the miraculous transformation He has done in me. How amazing that no matter what I've done, He still welcomes me back, brushes me off, and gently reminds me of who I really am.
When I am drawing close to Him...my personality becomes like Him. I realized that those qualities that I am drawn to in others, are actually really just Jesus in them! When people meet me, or know me, I want them to see Jesus in me...yeah, they may not know who they're seeing...but I do, and more importantly, so does my savior. So, I still don't have a list of three that describe me...maybe I'm afraid to know :) But here's the three that I WANT to describe my personality...
1) Loving..the real kind...the sacrificial kind
2) Authentic/Real/Genuine (counting that as 1 word:)
3) Charming...my friend Beth used this word, and I love it!
One of my favorite verses that I am forever going back to was said by John the Baptist (whom I happen to adore because he was a bit of an odd duck himself :)
John 3:30 "He must increase and I must decrease." So, so, true.
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THose three words DO describe you perfectly, only you forgot one...funny! so darn funny! but more charming than funny! ha ha! JK!
ReplyDeleteloving you!
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Okay, words that I think describe your personality...
ReplyDelete1.) Honest - You never fail to give people the truth. I think you do that with yourself as well. You call it how you see it, even if it hurts sometimes, but you are unfailably honest.
2.) Moral - You hold high morals, for yourself and those around you. I always feel the need to make sure I've morally justified myself when I'm with you. : ) You're like my Dr. Laura.
3.) Fun - This is the best one! You're so fun to be with. You're silly, goofy and fun. I wish I could quantum leep into your computer room and just hang with you for like ten minutes because I know I'd have so much fun!
Hope these help. Funny how it's hard to read into our own personalities but easy to see others!
Okay so I'm leaving you two comments in one day... can you handle it? I'd have to agree with your friend Michelle. She hit it dead on, but if I had to add a fourth I would say you're...
ReplyDeleteOBSESSIVE! Whether it's latte's, shoe's, Target, the paint color yellow, etc. You have officially become a blogging freak, but I love it!!! I love that in the description of yourself you say you're not sure what you're even going to write about and then you end up becoming the "Joyce Meyer" of blogging. I mean that as a huge compliment. Love ya lots!
p.s. how do you get all your housework done sitting in front of the computer all day? hee! hee!
You know, (just to prove what a freak I am) I went and looked up the word 'charming' in the dictionary after I read your blog. Just so you know, as a native English-speaker (and former ESL teacher) I *am* aware of what the word means... :-D However, sometimes it is helpful to see what the *exact* meaning is. And 'charming' (as an adjective; I have to justify that student loan I'm still paying on) means "pleasing or delightful," and I thought, "Isn't that exactly what Jesus makes us?" We are pleasing to God the father through the blood of the Son. And because of this status, we bring delight to Him through our obedience, service, and prayers (think Revelation incense/prayers of the saints).
ReplyDeleteI loved your blog, and your conclusion. May I ever be more of those--and everything else Jesus is--too!
Glad I'm sharing this journey with you. Thanks for letting me! :-)
Beth is right, those words do totally describe you. And so do Michelle's.
ReplyDeleteWonderful perspective Sarah. May we all grow to be like Him a little more every day.
Not sure how I missed this post... but I'm sure it was a God thing.
ReplyDeleteI needed to read it today... and I too need to ponder on 3 words/traits/characteristics to describe me. HMMMMM...
** also... I love, love, love that verse.
and in my own words: if I want more of Him, I need to make less of me.