Back in 2006, I spent a week in Ottawa getting trained and becoming certified to conduct Myers-Briggs personality assessments. I was intrigued by how different personalities interacted within team contexts. Since then, I have conducted many assessments for individuals, engaged and married couples, through a high school leadership program, as well as for a number of local companies. It has been fun to watch “the lights come on” as people gain an understanding of why someone else they connect with responds the way they do and why they personally interact the way that they do.

When it comes to discipling others, I have also come to appreciate the many different personality types over the years as well as the unique interests and passions various people have. This greatly impacts the discipling relationships they have and develop.

In lights of this, I am fully aware that my personality and my way of going about my discipling relationships can only work with certain individuals. There are some (if not many) people that I believe I would not be able to come alongside and guide, we are just too different in our styles and interests. And I’m okay with that. My influence can only stretch so far.

Think of it as overlapping circles.

So long as the circle that represent who I am has enough of an overlap with the guy I am discipling, then we’ll be good. And then, when he goes off to take on the mantel of discipling someone, he simply needs to find a guy whose circle will overlap enough with who he is. The neat thing about this is that I can reach guys who can reach other guys that I would never be able to connect with in a meaningful way. It has been fun to observe this.

Now as I have come to understand this more over the years, I have learned two things.

First, I can relax about not being able to connect with everyone. I don’t have to be all things to all people, simply do what I can do with the guys that I can more naturally connect with. I don’t need to change who I am so that others may be helped, I can trust that someone else will be able to do this.

Second, in light of this, I realize that it is more important than ever that more people are engaged in the work of life-on-life discipleship. We need more personalities with more varied interests to be able to have the circles of influence stretch to new areas of every community of people.

I have heard individuals say to me on many occasions that they couldn’t come alongside and disciple others, they aren’t like me. To which I respond, “That’s the whole point.” You aren’t like me. Our circles may not overlap that much, but there are those out there whose circle does overlap with yours and they need you, because I can’t reach them.

That’s the amazing thing about each of us – we all have something to offer someone. People are there waiting for someone to come alongside them. Let’s not stand back and hope that others will take the initiative or not get involved because we think we don’t have what it takes. The reality is you do have what it takes. Someone needs and wants you in their life. God has gifted you in a distinctive way to help someone. May I encourage you to step in and play the part you were called to play with the people that you can uniquely reach.

For the kingdom.