Knowing One's Temperament

            As ambassadors of God’s word, it is important to know the traits and behavior of the people we wanted to have a better relationship with our God. Evangelists should be able to accommodate them and present to them the gospel in the most compassionate way without burying themselves in disguise and without eating their authenticity. Furthermore, we must be true to ourselves and share to them our story and God’s story. One way in doing this is to know one’s temperament. The four temperaments, which had largely gone out of vogue since medieval times, have become popular among evangelical Christians in the same way that astrology has raised in popularity among non-Christians. Perhaps because of life’s ever-increasing complexities and numerous complex psychological systems, people are looking for simple ways to understand themselves and others. First is to know your own temperament and of the person you wanted to evangelized, although some people are just your acquaintances, by patterning out their behavior and your impressions to them, you will be able to figure out at what point you will start. And that’s why the four temperaments have made a comeback. They are easy to understand and use. They offer simple explanations for the complexity of individual differences and propose simple solutions to complex problems of living. Furthermore, many Christians have confidence in the four temperaments theory because they believe it is reliable, helpful, and compatible with the Bible. Of course, in dealing with it, you should always ask the presence and the anointment of the Holy Spirit so that it would be even more fruitful.

            The four temperaments can be classified as follows:

Sanguine

          The sanguine temperament is fundamentally impulsive and pleasure-seeking. Sanguine people were also considered fairly sociable and emotional. They tend to enjoy social gatherings, making new friends and tend to be boisterous. They are usually quite creative and often daydream. However, some alone time is crucial for those of this temperament. Sanguine can also mean very sensitive, compassionate and thoughtful. Sanguine personalities generally struggle with following tasks all the way through, are chronically late, and tend to be forgetful and sometimes a little sarcastic. Often, when pursuing a new hobby, interest is lost quickly when it ceases to be engaging or fun. They are very much people persons. They are talkative and not shy. People of sanguine temperament can often be emotional.

Choleric

            The choleric temperament is fundamentally ambitious and leader-like. They have a lot of aggression, energy, and/or passion, and try to instill it in others. They can dominate people of other temperaments, especially phlegmatic types. Many great charismatic military and political figures were choleric. They like to be in charge of everything.

Melancholic

        The melancholic temperament is fundamentally introverted and thoughtful. Melancholic people often were perceived as very (or overly) pondering and considerate, getting rather worried when they could not be on time for events. Melancholic can be highly creative in activities such as poetry and art - and can become preoccupied with the tragedy and cruelty in the world. A melancholic is also often a perfectionist. They are often self-reliant and independent; one negative part of being a melancholic is sometimes they can get so involved in what they are doing they forget to think of others.

Phlegmatic

        The phlegmatic temperament is fundamentally relaxed and quiet, ranging from warmly attentive to lazily sluggish. Phlegmatic tend to be content with themselves and very kind. They can be very accepting and affectionate. They may be very receptive and shy and often prefer stability to uncertainty and change. They are very consistent, relaxed, calm, rational, curious, and observant, making them good administrators. They can also be very passive-aggressive.

The four temperaments theory also gives an illusion of truth. One can apply all descriptive traits to all humans to a greater or lesser degree. Therefore, when temperament characteristics are placed in categories, people can easily see themselves because of the universal nature of traits, such as friendly, confident, sensitive, dependable, and so on. Then, when people are told that they may be a combination of the four temperaments, they can easily fit themselves into a classification. That does not mean the four temperaments are in themselves accurate or helpful. It only means they consist of universal traits and that people can identify with them to some degree.

We all know that psychological behavior of the person can be a factor whether he is going to reject or accept your claim about God. After all, it is not just about his attitude that matters but also your attitude towards him, the way you approach him, the way you present your thoughts and the way you persuade him with the love of Christ. Knowing one’s temperament can also be used to those who are already Christians, by knowing their temperaments; you can counsel them and advise them for their perseverance. Truly, it is very useful for our everyday trip with our God.

Hope you will be able to successfully identify your own temperament and when you had already figured it, drop it out through a comment. :)

Thanks to Wikipedia and Four Temperaments, Astrology and Personality Testing(Book) for additional information and the pictures to their respective owners.