Appreciating Differences and Looking for Strengths

I mention in my sermon this Sunday that we should be careful not to favor one child over another because we like his/her personality.  The tendency in us to favor extends beyond parent-child relationships. 

We, generally, are drawn to people with certain kinds of personalities.  We tend to like people who have a personality like ours, and depreciate people who have a different personality.  That just can’t be in the church family.  We need to appreciate our diversity, because we are united in Christ.  We need to have relationships with a variety of people, because it’s what God wants from us. 

What personality types do you tend to prefer, and which do you depreciate?

Also, we need to stop depreciating people for their weaknesses, or what we perceive as unattractive because they are not like us, and instead, start appreciating people for their strengths.  I’m talking about weaknesses or things we don’t prefer, not sin.  It’s right not to like people’s sin. 

We tend to focus so much on weaknesses.  This leads to us criticizing each other and pulling away from relationship with each other.  Instead, we need to look for people’s strengths, and appreciate those things, which will pull us toward better relationships. 

You would want people to appreciate your strengths, instead of focusing on your weaknesses, and depreciating you, wouldn’t you?  Then will you start to do that for others?