The classical four temperaments (Phlegmatic, Choleric, Sanguine, Melancholic) are an old, but simple and therefore helpful way of thinking about personality. I enjoyed reading The Temperament God Gave You (Bennett & Bennett).
What is personality?
One way of thinking about it might be, "what drives us," and in a sense, what we value.
Action and achievement? (choleric) Enjoyment, having fun? (sanguine) The intellectual life? (melancholic) Peace and connectedness? (phlegmatic)
Each temperament negotiates the goods of life differently. One good is pursued in preference to the others. While each temperament has a gift, the gift comes at a cost.
Action comes at the expense of peace and reflection.
Fun comes at the expense of study and work.
The intellectual life comes at the expense of enjoying life physically and socially.
Peace and connectedness come at the expense of adventure and challenge.
The longer I live, the more I understand life in terms of participating in God's own life. We know that action, fun, intelligence, and stability all have their place in God's own life. We need some aptitude in every category in order to approximate a Godly life.
There is truly more than one way to be a person!
It seems to not be God's will that we seek complete balance. Rather, the concept of the Body of Christ invites us to acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses, and turn to the community to benefit from the gifts which we ourselves do not possess.
While there is certainly a time and place for becoming more well rounded, there is greater peace in appreciating the capabilities we do have, and allowing others to shine in the areas where we do not.
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