Time for Personal Inventory

With a number two lead pencil in hand, I studied the pages in front of me, reading instructions for completing the personality profile. The inventory was not a "test" with results determined by right or wrong answers. It was just a simple effort to decode the essence of my personality in short, readable paragraphs.

I pored over the questions, wanting to make sure my answers truthfully represented my perspective on life. After all, this inventory would explain all the attributes of my personality, reveal hidden qualities that would elevate my success, and generally improve my interactions with others.

When I received the inventory results, I read every word, looking for positive affirmation such as, "Many people like you have changed the world, discovered new planets, and perfected their golf swing in a single afternoon!" Of course, I didn't discover any such news. I did learn, however, that all of those preferred attitudes and persistent patterns of behavior added up to a composite image that looked remarkably like me.

I often experience something similar when I read the Scriptures. After reading them for many years, I've gotten to the point where I can often finish a sentence without waiting for the cue. When I read the biblical stories this way, however, I tend to miss the point of the story that needles the conscience or resurrects a discarded conviction.

Scripture, like the personality inventory, reveals truth.

Read truthfully, the Bible reveals the degree of similarity between the ideal and the reality. The face in the mirror doesn't lie. It's the image of what is, not what we wish to be. The mirror of God's Word reflects who we are, and calls us forward on a journey toward what we can become.

David J. Felter, Editor in chief

Holiness Today, November/December 2006 

Please note: This article was originally published in 2006. All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at that time but may have since changed.