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Allow me to make a sweeping generalization of the majority of technical artists: we are introverted. That is to say that we may feel recharged after some time alone rather than after a big social gathering. We may be given to introspection. We are thinking people. We tend to be private and reserved.
Me? I belong to the family of introverts as well. If you're a Myers-Briggs fan, I'm an INFP, falling squarely onto the Introversion side of the Introversion/Extroversion scale. Growing up, I rarely spoke up and most always preferred to "keep to myself." Being introverted is not bad. It's precisely how God created us. It is His unique thumbprint on our lives.
Now, we all know that at some point our greatest strength becomes our greatest weakness and that it is equally true of our temperament, whether extroverted or introverted. I suspect this may be the experience of many of us, that the weaknesses of our introverted temperament have gotten the best of us. We make our decisions based upon our preference to stay in the background. We may say, "I'm too shy or embarrassed to ever open up to another, or to speak up." "I just can't allow myself to get personal or vulnerable with others around me." "It's just too uncomfortable for me, it's not how I am." Yes, we may say those things, and worse we may believe them.
Friends, may I remind us of what we are commanded to do as members of the Body of Christ? Repeatedly in Scripture we are given "one another" commands. They are not only meant to draw us into deeper fellowship with our Heavenly Father but with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Here are just a few. Read them slowly.
• Accept one another.
• Admonish (counsel or urge) one another.
• Bear one another's burdens.
• Care for one another.
• Comfort one another.
• Have compassion toward one another.
• Be devoted to one another.
• Edify one another.
• Exhort and encourage one another.
• Forgive one another.
• Greet one another.
• Pray for one another.
• Serve one another.
• Submit to one another.
• Teach one another.
We cannot do any of these things from a distance or from the background. They tend to rub against our introverted tendencies and that's precisely what God intends for them to do. He wants us to rely more upon Him than ourselves. So he gave us Timothy as an example. Paul says to him, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV) In other words, "Timothy, I know you're given to being timid, but remember this if nothing else, because you are redeemed by Jesus, God has given you a Spirit that will give you power, love and self-discipline. You don't have to allow your temperament to rule."
I love how Martyn Lloyd Jones, a medical doctor turned pastor puts it regarding our temperament:
"Now here is the miracle of redemption. We are given our temperaments by God. Again all our temperaments are different and that also is of God. Yes, but it must never be true of us as Christians that we are controlled by our temperaments. We must be controlled by the Holy Spirit... What is so tragically wrong in a Christian is that he should allow himself to be controlled by his temperament." - Martyn Lloyd Jones, Spiritual Depression, 1965
You may have heard it said that, "The speed of the leader is the speed of the team." If we want teams of technical staff and volunteers who live authentic lives following Jesus, then we cannot afford to live life in the background. We need to go first and say like Paul said, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ." Taking steps out of our comfort zone in order to follow Jesus is always rewarding, though it will not be easy. I know this from personal experience.
Where do you stand with this? What steps do you need to take to enter into deeper one-another relationships with those around you? What about with those you may lead on a weekly basis? In thinking about taking any steps toward this stop and pray about it. Ask God to search you and help you see and understand how to respond. What comes to mind? Share your thoughts in the comments below. It's another way we can encourage one another though we may be miles apart and have never met.
