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National Christian
Counselors Association |
† "Let this mind be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus:
† Who, being in the form of
God, thought it not robbery
to be equal with God:
† But made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him
the form of a servant, and was
made in the likeness of men:
† And being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross."
Phillipians 2: 5 - 8
Sarasota Academy
of Christian Counseling
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The Supine:
The Supine temperament is new to the list
of temperaments. The other four temperaments have been known
for about 2,400 years. However, during the 7 years of
research conducted by the National Christian Counselors
Association on about 5,000 people, the evidence of the fifth
temperament was discovered and founded. Up until that time
in 1984 there were people that didn’t “fit” into any of the
other four temperaments.
The dictionary definition of Supine is “lying on the back or
with the face turned upward.” Some dictionaries go on to say
“having no interest or care, inactive, negligent, listless.”
It must be noted that the N. C. C. A.’s choice of the name
Supine is based ONLY on the first definition of “lying on
the back or with the face turned upward.”, like a servant
looking up to their master.
Worth repeating... There are 3 areas of the temperament:
Inclusion (social interaction, surface relationships and
intellectual energies), Control (decision making abilities,
willingness to take on responsibilities, and the need for
independence) and Affection (the need for love and affection
and for deep personal relationships). Few people are the
same temperament in all three areas: a T. A. P. Is necessary
to accurately identify a person’s temperament. Let’s now
look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Supine in these
three areas.
Inclusion Strengths of The Supine: A great capacity
for service, liking people, and the desire to serve others.
They possess an inborn gentle spirit.
Inclusion Weaknesses of The Supine: Indirect behavior
that expects others to read their mind, high fear of
rejection, and harboring anger viewed as “hurt feelings”.
Control Strengths of The Supine: Dependability,
ability to enforce “the policies” set by others and to serve
those they follow, their caretakers, with absolute loyalty.
Control Weaknesses of The Supine: Aggressive
disorders, open dependence, defensive against loss of
position, weak willpower, a tendency to feel powerless and
at the mercy of others.
Affection Strengths of The Supine: The ability to
respond to love and to open up emotionally when they feel
emotionally “safe.” If treated properly, they are capable of
absolute and total commitment to deep personal
relationships.
Affection Weaknesses of The Supine: The inability to
initiate love and affection. They require constant
reassurance that they are loved, needed and appreciated
While this is just a brief overview of the Supine
temperament, you can see the importance of learning to live
in the strengths of one’s temperament instead of living in
the weaknesses. The Supine temperament is a beautiful
temperament; it “naturally” has “the servant’s heart.” The
Supine just like the other temperaments can be open to
abuse, unless they learn to live in the strengths of their
temperament under the control of Christ.
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