How To Help People Better Their Perspectives

HOW TO HELP DIFFICULT PEOPLE GAIN A BETTER BALANCE OF THEIR PERSPECTIVES

Some Christians occasionally say to their friends, "Why can't they just accept what the Bible is saying rather than trying to rely on logic?" When they speak this way they fail to realize that God wants us to be logical, to reason, and to learn how to analyze situations with all factors in mind. In I Timothy 3:2-7, Paul, the apostle, gives us a clear set of criteria for picking people worthy for leadership. He writes, "An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. He must not be a recent convert or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap."

Paul puts a special emphasis in this list on the even-tempered character of a leader who knows how to work well with all people. Basically, Paul is saying that the world needs more warm hearts (while carrying out his duties) and fewer hot heads.

Intuitional insights are regarded as suspect by many fighting fundamentalists who play down the idea of relying on feelings to determine what is true, good and right. However, to understand the big picture we need other's senses, intuition, and feelings to get a balanced perspective. The body of Christ works best when one part is supplementing the weaknesses of the other parts. That way, no one part is considered to be more important than any other organ of the body. Isabel Briggs Meyers offers us a helpful model in her Introduction to Types. The following chart shows how to use complementary personality types to balance any group.

Intuitive Type People - Have insights about trends but need to be supplemented by sensing type people for the following reasons:

Sensing Type People - Have a practical realistic outlook yet they need an intuitive person to balance their viewpoint for the following reasons:

1. To bring up pertinent facts

2. To apply experience to problems

3. To read the fine print in a contract

4. To notice what needs attention now

5. To have patience

6. To keep track of essential details

7. To remind that the joys of the present are important

Intuitive People

1. To bring up new possibilities

2. To supply ingenuity on problems

3. To read the signs of coming change

4. To see how to prepare the future

5. To have enthusiasm

6. To watch for new essentials

7. To tackle difficulties with zest

8. To show that the joys of the future are worth working for

Feeling Type People - Have great skills in handling people through wise interpersonal relationships yet they need thinking type people to balance them for the following reasons:

Thinking Type People - Have the most insightful analysis about things, but they need feeling type people to balance them out for the following reasons:

1. To analyze

2. To organize

3. To find the flaws in advance

4. To reform what needs reforming

5. To hold consistently to a policy

6. To weigh the law and the evidence

7. To fire people when necessary

8. To stand firm against opposition

Feeling People

1. To persuade

2. To conciliate

3. To forecast how others will feel

4. To arouse enthusiasm

5. To teach

6. To sell

7. To advertise

8. To appreciate the thinker