“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” -Winnie the Pooh
Amid the domineering choleric, the hyper sanguine, and the
pessimistic melancholy, the world needs a peacemaker. This is why we have
phlegmatics. One aspect of a phlegmatic that is especially refreshing is their
contentment in doing most anything; whenever I am with a phlegmatic friend and
I ask them what they want to do, they usually reply, “I’m fine with anything!”
Unfortunately, this attitude can be used against the
phlegmatics,. Since they are overly submissive, phlegmatics are sure to get
trampled and used by those who are more opinionated and strong-willed, and they
also fall prey to one specific sin: laziness.
My favorite phlegmatic cartoon character is the lovable
Winnie the Pooh. He is slow, lazy, and happy with just about everything in
life.
I also have several phlegmatic people in my life including my
little brother, many of my teachers and peers, and my mom, M.L., who I decided
to interview for this post. Although she is very much melancholy along with her
phlegmatic temperament, I wanted to interview her because of her ability to
overcome the phlegmatic’s greatest downfall with her strong work ethic.
been able to
work for the Lord with this strength?
As a phlegmatic, I am an easygoing person who is able to
get along with most everyone.
Because of this, I am able to fit into most social situations more
easily. A phlegmatic is also a
peacemaker and I think God has been able to use me to diffuse some tense
situations that may otherwise have turned volatile. God has also given me an ability
that I can only credit to Him – forgiving people and not holding grudges when I
have felt hurt by people that I love.
2. How have you
learned to establish a good work ethic?
Although I am a hard working
person, it is still a challenge to stay focused and accomplish tasks because of
my personality. Since this
struggle is very close to the surface for me, the one thing that has really
helped me in this area is my daily quiet time with God. That one thing can make the difference
between a successful day of work and a distracted day of work. If I can spend a little time with God
first thing in the morning and ask Him for help in my weaknesses (which often
is being distracted), my day goes amazingly well. My to-do list gets completed and I am fully engaged in what
God wants me to do that day. And
of course, God has promised us that He will give His strengths to our
weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9).
3. What is one of
the most uncomfortable things for you to do in social situations (examples
might be talking to people one-on-one, speaking in front of an audience, etc.)?
One of the most uncomfortable things
for me to do in social situations is to be in a group where people know each
other but I don’t know any of them.
It feels like I’m a puzzle piece fitting into a completely wrong
puzzle. People are talking,
bantering and laughing around me but don’t include me even when I try and
engage conversation.
When
I’m in those type of social situations, I have to really stop and remind
myself,
“I know God
loves me, He is my closest friend and He is right here with me so I am
definitely not alone”.
This really
helps me to feel confident because I know God is with me. Instead of appearing
sullen and uncomfortable, I can feel and look pleasant and confident with God
by my side.
4. What do you
believe is one of the biggest downfalls of a phlegmatic?
One of the toughest things about being a phlegmatic is the
besetting sin of laziness. In
addition to that, our culture has also become very accepting of a placid and
apathetic life. There is a great
wave in culture to be placidly checking technology and wandering around the
internet, and a phlegmatic is happily geared to float aimlessly in that manner.
So, this trait of laziness leads to other downfalls: Apathy and indecisiveness. Which then leads to more wandering around (in opinion and
decision making) when a firm “Yes” or “No” is required (Matthew 5:37).
5. Have you seen
this weakness have a negative effect in a phlegmatic’s life (either your own
life or someone else’s)? What happened?
I have seen phlegmatics become so
lethargic that they waste swaths of time and never develop the amazing
strengths that are available to them.
This leads to an unfocused and sidetracked life. Someone that I know who is a phlegmatic
couldn’t decide what to do in college and eventually dropped out, came home and
is still there!
6. Is there a
specific Bible verse that addresses this weakness? If so, what is it?
Here are a
few of my favorite verses that address the issue of laziness:
Colossians 3:23 (NIV)
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the
Lord, not for human masters.
Proverbs 6:9 (The Message) You lazy fool, look at an
ant. Watch it closely; let it
teach you a thing or two. Nobody
has to tell it what to do. All summer
it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. So how long are you going to laze
around doing nothing? How long
before you get out of bed? A nap
here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy – do
you know what comes next? Just
this: You can look forward to a
dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest! (My interpretation of
poverty is poor in life purpose and spirit).
Proverbs 31:15a, 17 (NIV) She gets
up while it is still night; she provides food for her family…She sets about her
work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
God’s word
is such a resource for my weaknesses and my strengths. Because of my relationship with Him and
the wisdom of His word, I am able to recognize my strengths as gifts from Him.
I am also able to recognize my weaknesses as opportunities for my relationship
and trust in God to grow stronger and for God to use me in a very real way in
my life and in the lives of others.
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