WHAT IS TEMPERAMENT? For you created my inmost being [temperament]; you knit me together in my mothers womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13, 14) Temperament is the God-given, inborn nature of each person determining how he or she interacts and reacts with people, circumstances, environments, situations, and the world. Temperament is who we are on the inside, what the Bible calls the inner man. A person's temperament is determined at conception and remains consistent throughout life. Although behavior can greatly change over the years, the persons temperament remains the same. Temperament is not behavior, although our temperament does make us prone to certain behaviors. How a person behaves is a combination of temperament, living in the strengths and/or weaknesses of their temperament, environment, decisions they have made or not made, conclusions they have drawn or not drawn about right and wrong, their relationship with God or lack thereof, etc. Temperament can be overridden. The closer a persons behavior is to their temperament, the less stress and anxiety the person experiences. The bigger the gap between temperament and behavior, the more stress and anxiety and related problems are evident in the persons life. Each temperament type has strengths and weaknesses. When a person is living in the strengths of his temperament, his behavior will be different from his behavior when he is living in the weaknesses. The Apostle Pauls life is a great example. He looks like two entirely different people, before his conversion verses later in life.

However, his temperament remains consistent. The difference in Pauls behavior was living in the weaknesses of his temperament before conversion and in the strengths of his temperament, under God, after conversion. Temperament is neither good nor bad, it is simply how God created us. One may ask, What is the best temperament? The best temperament is the temperament God has given you, as long as you are living in the strengths of your temperament. Every temperament type has strengths and weaknesses. Every temperament type has temperament needs. As our temperament needs are met by healthy and godly means, we will be living in the strengths of our temperament, being the people God created us to be. We can also be meeting the needs of people around us to a degree (no one can meet someone elses needs 100%). This results in a life with less stress and anxiety, fewer problems caused by stress and anxiety, better relationships at home, work and play, and a happier life. Being sensitive to peoples needs and meeting those needs helps everyones stress to be lower. Character Character is the real you. The Bible refers to it as the hidden person of the heart (1 Pet. 3:4). It is the result of your natural temperament modified by childhood training, education, and basic attitudes, beliefs, principles, and motivations. It is what you really are when there is no one else around. Personality

Personality is the outward expression of oneself, which may or may not be the same as a persons character, depending on how genuine that person is. Summary In summary, temperament is the combination of traits we were born with; character is our civilized temperament; and personality is the face we show to others. THE SANGUINE TEMPERAMENT Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry. (Luke 12:19) No temperament is more fun to be around than the Sanguine. The two top agenda items on the Sanguines life list are to be around people and to have fun. They get bored easily and do not see any of boredoms virtues. Sanguines not only want to be having fun, but they want everyone to be having fun. Because of these needs, to be around people and to have fun, Sanguines tend to be on the go all the time. When they are not on the go, they desire to be. They are positive and optimistic. They are the life of the party. They want to feel exemplary and they want everyone around them to be excited also. Sanguines experience life by feelings and emotions instead of by facts and logical reality. They love to share their experiences in life with everyone, thus they are excellent storytellers. To watch them, it seems like they cannot choose which people to be around or what fun to be participating in therefore they attempt to do it all. These are the children parents cannot get to go to bed (changing bed times will not help). The children do not want to miss an exciting event. These are the teenagers who want to be participating in every activity with all their friends all the time. Missing any event with their friends is torture for them.

These are the adults who work all day and play all night or do not work at all and play all the time. In a group, Sanguines are the center of attention. They talk the loudest, tell the funniest jokes, and wear the brightest colors. The Sanguine's strengths include being: Friendly. Outgoing. Inspiring. Relationship oriented. Enthusiastic. Warm. Optimistic. Sanguines possess the ability to see the bright side of life and the best in people. Sanguines genuinely like people. Sanguines are responsive to their senses: touch, smell, taste, hearing and sight. They are touchy-feely and like to be in your space (if you are not a temperament who is relationship-oriented, Sanguine violate your personal space often). They like bright colors.They are attracted to anything speaking to their senses. Of all the temperaments, Sanguines probably have the less stress and anxiety. Sanguines probably enjoy life morethan everyone else does. Sanguine sees the best in people. Peoples faults, shortcomings, character flaws and weaknesses are mostly overlooked. A Sanguines likes people. He wants to have a positive relationship with everyone on the planet. He is willing to accept people as they are, and expects everyone else to do the same. The Sanguine perceives the best in everyone, blocking out their few minor weaknesses. What different temperaments would consider major character flaws, Sanguines view as minor inconveniences; if he perceives them at all.