Which Group?

by Rickie Miyake

What's your personality type?

Our branch did the optional activity suggested for Day 17 of our study of Rick Warren's “The Purpose Driven Life,” taking an online test to determine which of 16 different personality types we most closely matched. A lively discussion ensued as we shared our results.

For those of you not familiar with this test, you answer questions to determine which two types of personality you lean towards in four different categories: Extraversion/Introversion; Sensing/iNtuition; Thinking/Feeling; and Judging/Perceiving. Two types in each of four categories make for sixteen possible combinations, identified by the letter that is capitalized in the dichotomy of types I just listed (for example, being an Introvert-iNtuitive-Thinking-Judging type would be an “INTJ” - which was my result).

You can find the test and how to interpret the results here: www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

I sat there pondering how closely each person’s results matched my own impression of them, especially those whose type out of the sixteen matched mine. Am I really like so-and-so? Well... sort of. I could see the similarities. But I could also see the differences, even though our result was the same. One “INTJ” type person isn't necessarily a twin of another INTJ.

Just for fun I posted the link to the test on an audio (i.e. stereo) enthusiast forum in which I participate and asked the members to post their results to see how their “type” matched up to their personality that came across when discussing audio topics.

There’s one person in the forum that I have to say I find annoying because he is so opinionated. He's always so sure he’s right and makes no bones about proclaiming it. I was wondering what type he would turn out to be. To my astonishment he said his result was INTJ. Same as mine! Well obviously that must be a flawed test...

Among the 40 results as of this writing, the results varied. While all of us in the forum form a group who share the love of audio gear, we’re composed of a bunch of different personality types. As I compared the results the members posted to my impressions of that member, some seemed to fit but some didn’t.

Ask non-audio enthusiasts (or even ones who are) to describe a group of audio enthusiasts and “a bunch of geeks” will probably be right up there in the responses.

There’s jillions of groups out there, defined by some sort of common ground. It’s really easy to pigeonhole and pre- judge the people in these groups when you don’t take the time to get more details. And from there, maybe to think and speak poorly of that group if they don't fit our view of what is “good.” Or maybe put them on a pedestal if they do.

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well” said David to God in Psalm 139:13, 14.

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered” Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10:30.

Our Creator, in His wisdom, made each of us unique, fearfully and wonderfully made in our own intricate ways, so much so that even the hairs on our head are numbered! (Or if you are bald, then how about your follicles are all numbered?)

A snow bank looks like one big white mass until you realize upon closer examination that no two snowflakes, just like no two fingerprints, are alike.

Groups are composed of individuals, all of them God’s creation. While we may dismiss some and favor others, we nevertheless have things in common with the people in groups that seem most opposed to our beliefs and interests, and differ in ways with people in groups to which our beliefs and interests seem most aligned. Give the folks in any group that personality test and you’ll get a variety of results.

In the end, though, all groups are temporal except for two - those who have the blessed assurance of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and those who don’t. It’s up to us who, by the grace of God are part of that first group, to share the Good News with and pray for the individuals in the second group that they may be blessed to join the first group, too.

The only “test” question that really matters is, “Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior?”