Section Two: The Personal Characteristics of a Godly Life.
Our current theme: Characteristic Four: Being Christ-Actualized.
Our reading for today: Jeremiah 31: 3 (MsgB)
God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love! And so now I’ll start over with you and build you up again.
In our last three blog sessions, we looked a bit closer at the three Enneagram personality types (#8, #9, #1) of The Gut Triad. Today, we move over to The Heart Triad (#2, #3, #4) where the primary motivator underlying our personalities is not anger and resentment, but shame and pride.
This blog might be the easiest one for me to write since we’re looking at my primary personality type, The Helper (Enneagram #2). As one coming from The Heart Triad, we Helpers (sometimes also called The Giver) are highly relational, primarily because we are so dependent upon others to feed our great need for approval.
Fortunately, as we’ve discussed with the other Enneagram personality types, these sinful and self-consuming flaws have been addressed by Jesus of Nazareth at the Cross, but sadly very few of us actually take the time to embrace the healing and hope that can come through this amazing God-given transformation we call being Christ-actualized. Today, allow me to unpack a few more details about The Helper (Enneagram #2) and see if you find yourself in the descriptions found below:
THE HELPER (Enneagram #2)
The Heart Triad: Feeling-oriented. feeling-driven, emotionally-centered, decisions from the heart, people-focused. When encountering life, the first reaction is to feel something. Tends to feel before doing or thinking. Shame is always waiting beneath the surface.
#2’s see the solution to shame to be found in their outside world, overcoming it through dependency upon others, hoping warmth and helpfulness can win the day.
#2’s are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted. They are friendly, generous, and self-sacrificing, but can also be sentimental, flattering, and people-pleasing. They are well-meaning and driven to be close to others, but can slip into doing things for others in order to be needed. They typically have problems with possessiveness and with acknowledging their own needs. At their Best: unselfish and altruistic, they have unconditional love for others.
Adjectives that describe #2: Caring, helpful, supportive, relationship-oriented, tuned to others’ feelings, optimistic, generous, likable, nurturing, advice giving, and responsible, but also sometimes prideful, intrusive, dramatic, often unable to say no, indirect regarding own needs, and over-accommodating.
Key Motivations: Want to be loved, to express their feelings for others, to be needed and appreciated, to get others to respond to them, to vindicate their claims about themselves.
Basic Fear: Of being unwanted, unworthy of being loved.
Basic Desire: To feel loved.
#2 struggles with: pride/flattery/poor view of self.
#2’s motto: I am loving, selfless, helpful and needed.
#2’s response to life: What, me cause conflict?
#2 strives: to be connected.
#2 avoids: self and own feelings.
#2 unconscious childhood message: It’s not okay to have your own needs.
#2 lost childhood message: I am wanted.
#2 true essence: A reflection of love and nurture.
What will it mean for a #2 The Helper to be Christ-actualized? A mature #2 engages the life-giving intellect of a #5: observant, detached, and wise. A mature #2 also engages the life-giving instincts of an #8: decisive, confident, and direct.
What does God’s Word have to say to a #2?
So, are you an Enneagram #2? Does this personality type sound a lot like the way you feel and act in life? If so, take heart. A Christ-actualized #2 can become, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, a man or woman of God who truly becomes a well-balanced, self-aware servant in a world where self-centeredness and self-promotion prevail. A godly #2 no longer is controlled by a need to be loved, but becomes a pro-active helper to others who also takes the necessary time to care for self in healthy ways.
My prayer: As I rest in Your care, anchor me in my humility that I may know myself more fully, honoring my gifts as well as my limitations. I desire to be real. I desire to be discerning in what is mine to do and not to do. Empty me of my need for approval and my lists of all who need me. Guide me in the ways of being receptive, that I may participate more fully in my own life, offering myself compassion as well as others. Dissolve my pride, Holy One, that I may be more available to my own needs, and to the present unfolding without agendas. Open my heart to the support of others. Remind me of my interdependence so that I no longer inflate my own abilities but am grounded in the reality of who I am. Grant me a willingness to be open to what arises, that I may find my freedom in Your unconditional love. For Your name’s sake. Amen. (thanks to Sandra Smith/AlchemyWorksEvents.com)
My questions to ponder: If I see #2 qualities in my life, which are the most obvious? Where am I subject to the weaknesses found in a #2 and how might I allow the Holy Spirit to work deep within me, transforming these #2 wounds into glorious opportunities of hope?
So what is God speaking to you today as we attempt to live the Christ-centered life?
More info on #2: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-2/
Over a thirty-six week period, you and I will take a deeper look into twelve key characteristics of a godly life. In other words, we’ll take A Journey into Christian Discipleship. In order to keep all the blog sessions organized, we suggest you bookmark our Journey home page for ease of use. ENJOY!
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