I remember a long time ago, I was down at the hardware store, which is where most of my best thinking got done. I saw a friend waddling in, looking like he’d just wrestled a goat and lost. He wheels a broken lawnmower in with him and says, “Bojangles, this thing’s a communist plot! It won’t cut grass straight, it only wants to eat gas and spit out smoke!”
I looked at that machine, then back at him, and said, “Well, it seems the engine is misfiring. It’s not a political statement, just a mechanical failure.” He stared at me for a second, then nodded slowly like I’d just handed him the keys to the kingdom.
Why am I telling you this? Because we all have our own “operating systems,” don’t we? Some folks are wired to see problems as personal betrayals. Others are more practical, like me – see a broken engine, fix a broken engine. And still others might see that same lawnmower and get philosophical: “Why do we try so hard when everything falls apart in the end?”
Faith is no different. Your personality – the way God wired you from birth – can make you more or less susceptible to theological error. Some temperaments naturally lean toward confusion, rebellion, or even full-blown heresy if they’re not careful.
But don’t you worry. By the time we’re done here, you’ll know your own spiritual wiring better than my friend knows his rusty lawnmower.
The Four Temperaments: Your Spiritual Blueprint
Forget modern psychology for a minute. The Church has been studying personality since day one. St. Thomas Aquinas, with the help of ancient thinkers like Hippocrates and Galen, broke people down into four core temperaments.
Think of them as four different kinds of soil in the Gospel parable:
1. The Sanguine (The Social Butterfly) – Full of joy, optimistic, loves a good time.
2. The Choleric (The Driven Leader) – Ambitious, decisive, impatient.
3. The Melancholy (The Deep Thinker) – Introspective, analytical, prone to sadness.
4. The Phlegmatic (The Easy-Going Friend) – Calm, content, avoids conflict.
Now here’s where it gets interesting – each temperament has its own spiritual blind spots!
1. The Sanguine: The Heresy of “It’ll All Work Out Fine”
Your sanguine friend is the life of the party at Sunday potluck. They’re the ones who show up with a half-eaten cake and tell everyone it’s “fine, just fine!” They avoid conflict like the plague because feelings are more important than rules.
Their Spiritual Danger Zone: Relativism.
They might think, “Who am I to judge? God loves us all, so what’s the big deal if someone picks and chooses from Church teaching?”
The Cure: Structure. The sanguine needs clear guidelines – not because they’re mean-spirited, but because their own natural tendency toward chaos needs an anchor.
> Try This Challenge: “The Sanctity Schedule.” Commit to one specific prayer time each day (even if it’s just five minutes before bed). The structure will keep you grounded when your sanguine nature wants to wander off.
2. The Choleric: The Heresy of “I Know Better Than the Pope”
Ah, the choleric. This is the man who runs his family, his business, and his entire parish committee with an iron fist. They’re decisive, they get things done, and they hate waiting for other people to make up their minds.
Their Spiritual Danger Zone: Pride & Self-Reliance.
They might say, “The Church needs to get with the times! I’ve been running my own business successfully for 40 years – what do these bishops know about real-world problems?”
The Cure: Humility. The choleric needs to practice obedience – to God’s plan, not just their own.
> Try This Challenge: “The Unplanned Prayer.” Once a week, stop whatever you’re doing (even if it’s important) and say a decade of the rosary for someone who annoys you. It’ll remind you that even your best-laid plans need to submit to God’s will.
3. The Melancholy: The Heresy of “God is Angry With Me”
This is my kind of person – deep thinkers, artists, theologians. But they overthink everything. They can spend an entire Tuesday trying to figure out why the color blue in a stained-glass window might be offensive to God.
Their Spiritual Danger Zone: Scrupulosity & Despair.
They’re the ones who think one missed night-time prayer means they’ve committed the unpardonable sin. They get lost in the weeds of doctrine and forget the simple joy of salvation.
The Cure: Mercy. The melancholy needs to remember that God’s grace is bigger than their anxieties.
> Try This Challenge: “The Confessional Countdown.” Keep a small notebook where you write down every time you go to confession. It’s a tangible reminder that God forgives – and that He loves you more than your worries do!
4. The Phlegmatic: The Heresy of “Does Any of This Even Matter?”
The phlegmatic is the most dangerous of all because they’re the hardest to reach. They’re calm, content, and a little lazy when it comes to spiritual things. Why rock the boat? Church is fine, prayer is fine, but do you really have to get so worked up about it?
Their Spiritual Danger Zone: Lukewarmness & Indifference.
They might say, “I’m not a bad person. I treat my neighbors well and go to church on Easter. What more does God want from me?”
The Cure: Zeal. The phlegmatic needs to be pushed out of their comfort zone by the Holy Spirit.
> Try This Challenge: “The Radical Kindness Week.” Do one unexpectedly kind thing for a stranger every day. It doesn’t have to be big – just help them carry groceries, pay for their coffee behind you. It’ll remind you that faith isn’t just about feelings; it’s about action!
Bonus: The Saintly Shortcut
Sometimes we need a little extra help. That’s why God gave us saints – the “spiritual personal trainers” who can help us overcome our temperament’s weaknesses.
If you’re Sanguine, pray to St. Philip Neri, the cheerful saint known for his joyful spirit.
If you’re Choleric, ask St. Peter (the fiery apostle) to teach you humility.
If you’re Melancholy, turn to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who found God in the “little things.”
If you’re Phlegmatic, lean on St. John Vianney, a man whose whole life was a battle against spiritual laziness.
Try This: Keep their picture (or a small prayer card) near your bed and ask for their intercession every night.
You’re Not Defined by Your Temperament – You’re Defined by Your Surrender
So, are you built for heresy? Maybe. But more importantly, are you built to overcome it?
Your temperament is like the toolbox God gave you. Some tools are sharp and precise (choleric). Others are gentle and flexible (phlegmatic). Still others are bright and cheerful (sanguine), while some get rusty if not used often (melancholy).
None of them are “bad.” They’re just different.
The key is to know which tool you have – and then let God show you how to use it for His glory. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Instead, embrace who you are, recognize your weaknesses, and hand them over to Jesus.
Because at the end of the day, heresy isn’t just about bad theology. It’s about a heart that has wandered from God’s love.