GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT AND PERSONALITY TRAITS.
COMPANIONS OR COMPETITORS?
Recommended reading: I Corinthians 11-13, and Personality Plus by Florence Littauer.
"As each one has received a gift (charisma), minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom elong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." I Peter 4:10,11.
.Long before spiritual gifts appeared in us, our personality-gift revealed its distinctive nature. That Heaven-assigned disposition probably began showing itself while we were still in the crib; it proved to be life-long, permanent, and working through the amazing ability of the mind. The human brain is the most complex organism science has discovered in the Universe. It's complexity is far more defying than the solar system and contains as many synapsis as there are stars in existence. Synapsis are microscopic space-connectors between cells. If all 5,1/2 billion people on earth were talking on the telephone at the same time, but using 18 different telephones, it would almost correspond to the electrical traffic that our brain is handling. Evolution? The very idea is absurd. Such intelligence did not come from a non-intelligent source. The greatest created wonder of the Universe is on the little end of the telescope looking at the rest.
As conscientious believers, it is important that we understand the joint work of human personality and the empowering of the Holy Spirit. God gave us both Spiritual Gifting and Natural Gifting and successful Christian living depends upon the proper balance of these two working together. Spiritual gifting is the "charisma" gift which works beyond human ability and comes directly from the Holy Spirit. Natural gifting is a normal part of our in-born human character. Since everyone does not have the same spiritual gift or same personality gift we need to identify ourselves in both areas. Learning how to apply the strengths of each and avoid the weaknesses in our personalities is crucial. While there is no failure in the spiritual gift, there is much failure in human personality that can force itself upon the spiritual gift. Paul identifies nine of the charisma gifts in I Corinthians 12. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, classified the four categories of human personality centuries before Christ. Though not identified in Scripture, these have been verified by medical and historical observation.
