Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things.
Philippians 4:8 CSB
Have you ever taken a personality quiz, an enneagram test, or checked your horoscope? Do you know whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert? These can be helpful. For instance, we recently took a DiSC test at work to understand each other’s work styles and tendencies. We had fun seeing the different results, and it served our work relationships. However, here’s a truth that’s become more clear to me over the years, especially as I walk with Jesus.
…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,…
Self-image, identity, and confidence are a big deal, especially in today’s society. Therefore, personality tests and horoscopes assist us in these areas. We take the test to determine if we’re a type A, B, enneagram 1-9, extrovert or introvert, etc. and then get boxed in. By setting up parameters of who you are or not, it’s easy to make excuses to stay in our comfort zone.
Hear me out!
…whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable…
I used to love taking these quizzes. It gave me a sense of self-worth. But it also put me in a place of complacency, confusing the truth out of me. We should be getting self-esteem from Jesus and Jesus alone. Personality profiles are helpful for a moment, but identity in and with Jesus is for a lifetime. Instead of boxing ourselves in and always looking inside, we need to look in the eyes of Jesus and know His light shines on us and through us. He is the only personality profile we should identify with.
…if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy…
If there’s anything I learned about the Bible, it’s this: when you read it, it reads you too. The Bible is like a personality indicator. As you read it, you can see who you are. We don’t always make the right decisions, but that doesn’t change Who we reflect. The Bible, with Holy Spirit’s help, helps us assess, learn, and become more like the person we want to be.
—dwell on these things.
When taking any self-assessment, think about who you are in Christ first, and then take the results to learn from them to become more like Him.
tanyaremkiv 
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