Whose Report Will I Believe

Today’s Thought Whose Report Will I Believe G. Ward

“A man who hardens his neck after much reproof
will suddenly be broken beyond remedy.” Proverbs 29:1

There was a theory published in the 1950’s that sought to  determine the probability of Americans contracting coronary heart disease by classifying participants in two categories; type A, or type B personalities. Type A would refer to individuals high strung and Type B would be representative of the easy going. Rendering a hypothesis to the question of who then would be more prone to coronary heart disease seems unquestionably clear. Cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman conducted a study of healthy men between the ages of 35 and 59. Friedman and Rosenman estimated that Type A behavior doubles the risk of coronary heart disease in otherwise healthy individuals. This theorizing was later found to be inaccurate, in that coronary heart disease had other confounding variables (i.e. diet, gender, family history, etc.). I would definitely be classified as a type A personality (Type A individual as ambitious, rigidly organized, highly status conscious, can be sensitive, care for other people, are truthful, impatient, always try to help others, take on more than they can handle, want other people to get to the point, proactive, and obsessed with time management.) vs. type B (Type B personality by definition generally live at a lower stress level and typically work steadily, enjoying achievements but not becoming stressed when they are not achieved. When faced with competition, they do not mind losing and either enjoy the game or back down. They may be creative and enjoy exploring ideas and concepts. They are often reflective, thinking about the outer and inner worlds. Furthermore, Type B personalities may have a poor sense of time schedule and can be predominately right brained thinkers. Friedman, M. (1996). Type A Behavior: Its Diagnosis and Treatment. New York, Plenum Press (Kluwer Academic Press), pp. 31 ff.). According to these theorists from the 1950’s, personality types like me don’t have long. I’m so glad science is inconclusive; type A personalities would worry themselves to death. Furthermore, awaiting any theorist’s opportunity to decide our fate, contradicts Holy God as final Authority. As believers our desire should be to exact a personality indicative of our transformation (through Christ Jesus, cf. 2 Co.5:17). Happy Tuesday!