Journal 2018

I’ve been observing responses and reactions to life’s triggers from the perspective of different temperament types. I watched several people this week who were quick to verbally stand for right and defend the weak. I noticed others who could only see the behavior and had no patience for the wounded, making quick judgments and condemnations.

Ever since my healing journey began, I find I’m much more grace-filled toward people who struggle. It surely doesn’t excuse their responses, but I have more compassion toward those who fall or falter. I can see under or past the behavior.

On the other hand, I wish I had some people’s boldness to stand up to others to tell it like it is. Is that a built-in temperament type? I don’t keep silent now because of fear, like I used to. I just don’t have the boldness to tell people what I think they should do with their lives. Warning people that “I think you’ll regret that decision,” doesn’t come out of my mouth, and maybe it should. Calling people out on their sin or their choices takes enormous discernment, in my opinion. Maybe there’s still some codependency there, or maybe it’s just personality. Perhaps it’s the manner in which it is done that makes confronting feel uncomfortable to me.

I watched one person say to another: “Don’t do it, you’ll regret it.” My approach would have been, “Are you sure you want to do that? Have you considered that you might regret it?” One is more direct and straightforward, and perhaps that is what I’m noticing. I have an indirect approach. Both can be effective depending on the person or the recipient. God made us all different for a reason.