Introvert or Extrovert?

You probably don’t know this about me, but I’m an introvert by nature. I like my alone time and I love being at home. I love to garden because of the solice of it all. My computer and I are very close friends. I actually like being in my own little cave.

At this point, you may be laughing about the fact that I’m a pastor and have a very extroverted life. Yeah, I laugh about that a lot, too. I often times wish that I was naturally extroverted because it would make it all a lot easier.

When all is said and done, however, I appreciate the fact that God often times puts us in positions just outside of our comfort zone. It’s not good enough for me to say, “Yeah, well, I’m just this way, so people will just have to be OK with it.” That’s a cop out. I can’t use my DNA as a reason not to be Jesus to people. The same goes for the extrovert who might have a difficult time stopping long enough to experience the stillness of God.

Have you ever wondered if Jesus was an introvert or an extrovert? It’s an interesting thought and there’s definitely points of his life that you could allude to both. He was often in the middle of a crowd, but he also had moments of withdrawing to be by himself. I wonder which one was most comfortable for him? Did he thrive on the social or did he prefer the solitude of his own thoughts and prayers?

The reality is that Jesus’ model was not to do what comes easiest, but to do both. Spend that time alone with yourself being introspective, but get out there and be WITH people. No matter what your personality might lean to, growth comes when you lean the other way!