According to personality type teaching, we are stronger in each of the opposing areas than we are in the other. We may show both and have a hard time figuring out each one, but it is more like handedness. I am left handed, but I can also do things with my right, though not as well. If we look at all 8 attributes, we realize the individual person falls into one of 16 categories. These are usually denoted using the first letter of each. For example, my type is ENTP (So, that’s his problem…)

Here is where the judgmentalism can creep in. If I am a certain personality type and this is how I am wired, then I am tempted to make my type in all the areas the correct one. It may be as simple as a subtle description change. See if you have ever said any of these about someone else.

Extroversion vs. Introversion/ Chatterbox vs. Shy

Sensing Perception vs. Intuitive Perception/ Stick-in-the-mud vs. Risky

Thinking Judgment vs. Feeling Judgment/ Cold vs. Bleeding-hearted

Judging vs. Perceiving/ Anal vs. Flaky

Do you see what can happen? There are no good or bad personality types. They are just different. Yet, when we start labeling people who are different than us in a negative way, we see how this can become judgmental. We might even be judgmental towards people of the same personality type because we see things we don’t like in ourselves.

It is helpful just recognizing that traits you consider negative in someone else may simply be different personality types. There is much more involved in Meyers-Briggs analysis, but if you would like to begin considering your personal type, you can take this inventory online for free.

So it is easy to be critical and judging of people just because they are wired differently than you. It might have nothing to do with character, effectiveness, or, most interesting for people of faith,  spiritual maturity.ﾠ

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