Education Witness Style 1

Overview

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made—For Witness

Psalm 139:13–16 reminds us that God personally formed each of us. The image of being "knit together" speaks of the intricate interweaving of muscles, tendons, nerves, and veins. The "depths of the earth" is a poetic reference to the womb, echoing Genesis where Adam was formed from dust. God saw our "unformed substance"—the embryo—and ordained our days before any of them came to be. The takeaway is striking: each of us bears the creative, never-to-be-repeated stamp of Almighty God. He made you exactly the way He wanted to make you.

That truth applies not only to our bodies but to our personalities. God made introverts, He made extroverts, and He made everyone in between. Extroverts draw energy from being with people, often think out loud, prefer larger groups, and tend toward multitasking. Introverts draw energy from solitude, think deeply before speaking, prefer fewer but closer relationships, and recharge in quiet. Our culture tends to celebrate extroversion and treat introversion as a problem to be cured—but Scripture treats every wiring as God's intentional design. An introvert doesn't need therapy; an introvert needs time to recharge. Likewise, an extrovert isn't "too much"—they are made to engage outwardly. Embrace how God has wired you.

Scripture itself shows the Lord using both temperaments. Peter, the leader and spokesman of the Twelve, talks more than any other disciple, asks more questions than the rest combined, and preaches to thousands in Acts. He looks every bit the extrovert—thinking out loud, sometimes needing rebuke, but boldly proclaiming Christ. In John 21:15–17, Jesus tenderly restores him with a threefold affirmation that undoes his threefold denial. Andrew, by contrast, is barely mentioned. Luke doesn't even name him in the parallel calling account. Yet in John 1:35–42, Andrew quietly brings his brother Peter to Jesus—and that one-on-one ministry seems to define his life. There's no record of Andrew preaching to crowds or writing an epistle, but tradition holds he proclaimed Christ from a cross for two days as he died. Peter, an extrovert for Jesus. Andrew, an introvert for Jesus. Both faithful. Both used by God.

So receive your wiring with joy. If you are outgoing, lean into the crowds and conversations God puts before you. If you are reserved, lean into deep listening, thoughtful words, and one-on-one relationships. If you are somewhere in between, embrace that too. The question isn't whether to change who you are—it's how to share the Lord Jesus Christ in ways compatible with how God has made you.

Transcript

I want to break this down a little bit as we study this. In verse 13, for it was you who formed my 0s

inward parts. All of our bodies are made by God with this intricate complexity to them. 7s

And the knitting there is the reference to the interweaving of the muscles and the tendons and 18s

the nerves and the veins and all of the parts. It's just an amazing, amazing image. 25s

In verse 14, I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works that I know 33s

very well. God knows us because He is the one that has formed us and created us. Verse 15, 43s

My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 53s

The reference there to the depths of the earth is a metaphor for the womb. And you'll recall how Adam was created. 61s

Remember how Adam was created out of the dust of the earth. So it's simply a reference here, 69s

harking back to the Genesis account and harking back to this beautiful image here of the womb. Verse 16, 75s

Your eyes be held my unformed substance. The unformed substance is the embryo. In your book, 83s

we're written all the days that were formed for me when none of them as yet existed. God then has 90s

sovereignly ordained our days and our life. The point is this, God has made us just the way 99s

God wanted to make us because He created us. We each then bear the creative never to be repeated 109s

stamp of Almighty God upon us. Well, I want to borrow on some material from Mike Besteley. And it's 119s

little, I think it's 20 questions if I remember right that helps you with a little self-assessment 127s

of where you fall as either an introvert or an extrovert or some place in between. And so I'm 133s

going to read some questions to you. And if you want to tell him in your head or if you want to use 140s

a little card from the pew and do some math that way or you want to add up on your phone, 144s

that's fine. Provided your phone is put away after the calculation in the class. But 151s

here you'll get three points for the response of always, two points for sometimes 157s

and one point for never. So three points for always, two for sometimes, and one for never. 173s

All right, are you ready? Here we go. When I do something complicated, 184s

I have to break it down into small steps so that I don't get overwhelmed. When I do something 191s

complicated, I have to break it down into small steps so that I don't get overwhelmed. 199s

So give yourself a three if that's always a two if it's sometimes and a one if it's a, 206s

it's a never. Right? Number two, when I'm in a meeting, I listen to everything that's said, 210s

then go off by myself to think through my feelings and opinions. When I'm in a meeting, 218s

I listen to everything that's said, then go off by myself to think about my feelings and opinions. 224s

A three, a two, or a one. Number three, I enjoy going to a restaurant by myself. 232s

I enjoy going to a restaurant by myself, always sometimes or never. 242s

Four, at a noisy crowded social event, I'll go into the restroom for a few minutes just to get 250s

a little space. At a noisy crowded social event, I'll go into the restroom for a few minutes just 257s

to get a little space. Five, even if I enjoy social gathering, I look forward to the end. 263s

Even if I enjoy social gathering, I look forward to the end. 276s

Six, I would rather have a few close friends than a lot of casual ones. I'd rather have a few close friends 283s

than a lot of casual ones. Seven, I'm a good listener. I'm a good listener. 292s

Eight, I don't share my opinions until I've thought it through carefully. I don't share my opinions until 304s

I've thought it through carefully. Nine, I'd rather communicate by email than by phone. I'd rather 311s

communicate by email than by texting. Number ten, I use up energy in a group and need time alone to recharge. 331s

I use up energy in a group and need time alone to recharge. Number eleven, I usually 341s

can sense what other people are feeling even when others can't. I usually can sense what other 353s

people are feeling even when others can't. Twelve, I dislike returning merchandise to a store. 359s

I dislike returning merchandise to a store. 370s

Thirteen, I usually prefer an evening at home to going out with friends. I usually prefer an evening 377s

at home to going out with friends. Fourteen, I prefer a quiet restaurant to a noisy one. 384s

I prefer a quiet restaurant to a noisy one. Fifteen, I'd rather see a movie on its last day in the 397s

theater when the theater is empty than go with the opening day crowd. I'd rather see a movie on its 407s

last day in the theater when the theater is empty than go with the opening day crowd. Sixteen, 413s

people say I'm creative. People say I'm creative. Seventeen, if I have several days when I'm 423s

constantly interacting with people, I might crash on my first quiet day. If I have several days when 434s

I'm constantly interacting with people, I might crash on my first quiet day. 441s

Eighteen, I enjoy having people stay at my house, but only for a couple of days. I enjoy having people, 453s

there's something behind that that laughter isn't there. I enjoy having people stay at my house, 461s

but only for a couple of days. Nineteen, I tend to think before taking action, maybe too much. 467s

I tend to think before taking action, maybe too much. 476s

And lastly, I procrastinate on making decisions because I don't want to make the wrong choice. 483s

Okay, so if you can do a little math now, if you've been jotting down numbers, I'll give you just a second here to add that up. 496s

Okay, as you're finishing up on your your edition here, if you got 20 to 30 points, you're an extrovert. 507s

At least according to this scale there, you're more of that if you fit into that category. If you got 30 to 45 on that, 517s

you probably enjoy people but have a strong need to catch your breath after social gatherings. 530s

So you're probably someplace in between on that. And if you got 45 to 60, probably more of an introvert, 538s

if you don't take time for yourself, you'll just feel like you're kind of running out of gas on that. 549s

God made introverts and God made extroverts and God made everyone in between. 563s

Introverts are more in the minority in terms of personality styles, but interestingly, they're more in the majority when you get to the gifted population. 575s

In fact, the number rises to 75% of the highly gifted, those with IQs over 160 fall into the introvert camp. 588s

Extroverts are drawn more to things like political life and public life and introverts are the folks kind of shape in the policy behind the scenes. 602s

Again, drawing on this research here, there are some characteristics with regard to extroverts. 614s

And that is an extrovert will reach outward for energy. 626s

And extroverts energized by being with people, and oftentimes a lot of people. 635s

In fact, the bigger the group, the better for an extrovert. 642s

They're energized by a large crowd. 649s

An extrovert will tend to think out loud. 653s

We'll think out loud. 659s

An extrovert will say that the more friends they have, the better. 663s

They prefer talking to writing. 675s

And they prefer to multitask. 689s

They get their energy by turning outward. 695s

Bigger the group, the better. 702s

They think out loud. 703s

They process stuff out loud. 705s

The more friends they've got, the better. 708s

They'd rather talk than write. 710s

And they prefer to multitask. 713s

How about the, what were you, I'm sorry? 717s

That's a lot of description of a politician. 721s

Okay. 724s

Richard said it sounds like a description of a politician. 725s

Politicians generally are more extroverted. 730s

Yeah, because they like to be more out in the public. 732s

And an introvert here, they reach inward for energy. 739s

So, you know, they've been kind of a social setting. 749s

They need to recharge. 753s

That doesn't charge them. 754s

They get charged by being alone. 758s

And so an introvert will say, 761s

kind of tired with people now. 764s

And they'll like time alone. 766s

So they can just kind of recharge and get their energy. 768s

They would prefer the small social setting. 774s

They do their best thinking when they're alone. 783s

So the extrovert thinks out loud. 788s

The introvert likes to be alone and process it through. 790s

They tend to be good listeners. 796s

They think deeply. 800s

They think deeply. 803s

They don't like shallow relationships. 808s

So they like depth to their relationship. 813s

So when an introvert asks you, how are you? 819s

An introvert can get frustrated with kind of a samorous, I'm fine. 822s

I need to know more perceptives in some senses to feelings. 830s

They don't prefer to talk. 835s

They like to write. 841s

And they like to focus on one thing at a time. 844s

One thing at a time. 852s

True introverts, they say, make up about 10% of the population. 855s

We live in a society that really values extroversion. 862s

Really values that. 870s

Just think of how extroverts are described. 871s

An extrovert is described as, you know, that person is just so confident and outgoing. 875s

And then how is sometimes an introvert described? 882s

You know, they're kind of shy, you know, reserved. 887s

I'm not going to ask whether an introvert or extrovert are there, John. 899s

Who that's aimed at. 903s

John says maybe nerdy, but just kind of the tone of sometimes how extroverts are talked about, 907s

outgoing and confident. 914s

And the introvert is kind of shy, reserved. 915s

Our society values extroversion. 920s

Introversion in our society can be looked at as something that needs to be cured instead of celebrated. 925s

Introversion is looked at by our society as something that needs to be cured, i.e. 936s

if you just come out of your shell, some or. 944s

If God wanted us all to be same the same, he would have created us all the same. 952s

If God wanted us all to be extroverts, he would have created us all extroverts. 958s

If God wanted us to be all introverts he would have created us all introverts. 962s

If God wanted us someplace in this continuum here, he would have created us exactly that way. 966s

We are uniquely created by God. 973s

Embrace that. Embrace that. 977s

If you're an introvert, you're not wired to be an extrovert. 982s

You can act, but you know you're just not wired that way. 990s

It's not wired that way. 997s

And you know what? 999s

Introversion is nothing to be cured. 1001s

One author says, an introvert does not need therapy. 1007s

He says, the introvert needs time to recharge. 1012s

Time to recharge. 1022s

To be by yourself. 1024s

Remember in Psalm 39, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. 1027s

God has knit us together in our mother's womb. 1031s

We all bear the creative stem. 1035s

Let me draw a comparison between two folks in scripture. 1038s

Peter and Andrew. 1042s

I think this will underscore what we're talking about here. 1044s

Peter was the leader of the apostles. 1048s

In fact, every list where the apostles are mentioned, Peter is the first of the list of the 12. 1051s

Matthew 10, too, is an example of that, for example. 1061s

And the word translated there first is the Greek word, Protos. 1065s

It doesn't refer to first on a list. 1071s

It speaks of first in the sense of chief or in the sense of leader. 1074s

And so Peter was the leader of the disciples. 1079s

Peter normally acted as the spokesperson for the group. 1085s

In fact, as you look at scripture, no one speaks among the disciples. 1089s

No one speaks as much as Peter. 1095s

You know, when you study through the New Testament, Peter is talking a lot. 1098s

And that's the sign of an extrovert. 1103s

No disciple is as frequently rebuked as Peter. 1107s

So here's Peter. 1113s

Remember what an extrovert does? 1115s

An extrovert just kind of thinks out loud, right? 1117s

The introvert will, I want to think that through. 1120s

I want to get my words right. 1124s

So when I communicate its precise and is accurate, and I know the point I'm making, an extrovert, 1127s

you know, that's an interesting point I just came to, right? 1135s

As you're out loud working it through, Peter talks the most. 1139s

No one is rebuked the most. 1142s

In fact, usually when Peter needed to be rebuked by Jesus, Jesus referred to him as Simon. 1145s

So whenever you see Simon popping up, look at the context. 1155s

He was most of the time when Jesus refers to Peter as Simon. 1158s

It's because Peter needs some of the edges taken off here of what's been going on. 1162s

Take a look with me at John chapter 21, please. 1168s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and then John. 1171s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and then John, chapter 21 will pick up in verse 15. 1177s

This is a post-resurrection appearance of Jesus. 1183s

And in verse 15 of John 21, says, when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 1189s

Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? 1196s

He said to you, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. 1202s

Jesus said to him, feed my lambs. 1206s

A second time, he said to him, Simon, son of John, do you love me? 1210s

He said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. 1215s

Jesus said to him, ten my sheep. 1218s

He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? 1220s

Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, do you love me? 1226s

He said to him, Lord, you know everything. 1230s

You know that I love you. 1232s

Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. 1234s

Notice how he's referred to. 1238s

He's referred to as Simon. 1240s

Why? 1243s

What's Jesus doing here? 1244s

Why is it threefold? 1246s

What's he doing? 1247s

He's undoing the threefold denial, isn't he? 1248s

Remember when Peter denied him three times? 1251s

And so now at the end here, post-resurrection, he's undoing that denial, that Peter had 1254s

done. 1263s

And he calls him Simon, because it's communicating here, it's a review here of the denial, 1264s

but in his grace, he's giving three now pronouncements of trust of Simon in the 1270s

Lord Jesus Christ. 1278s

Peter asks more questions than all of the other apostles combined in the New Testament. 1280s

Peter was constantly asking questions. 1291s

It was Peter who preached to the thousands in Acts. 1295s

Peter, an extrovert for Jesus, probably, probably. 1302s

And then you have Andrew. 1311s

You have Andrew. 1313s

He's called very early on. 1315s

Let's go to John the first chapter, verse 35. 1317s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 1323s

John chapter one, verse 35. 1324s

The next day, John again was standing with two of his disciples. 1338s

And as you watch Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, look, here is the Lamb of God. 1342s

The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 1348s

When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, what are you looking for? 1352s

They said to him, Rabbi, which translated means teacher. 1357s

Where are you staying? 1360s

He said to them, come and see. 1362s

They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. 1367s

It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. 1371s

One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew. 1374s

Simon Peter's brother. 1379s

He first found his brother Simon and said to him, we have found the Messiah, which is 1384s

translated, anointed. 1389s

So here you have Andrew. 1392s

And Andrew is the one that's responsible for introducing his brother Peter to Christ. 1393s

It's interesting. 1400s

When you look at the twelve, Peter and Andrew and James and John, and they're kind of 1401s

like this little group within the twelve that we see in Scripture. 1406s

And of the four, Andrew is the least conspicuous of the group. 1411s

In fact, he's just not mentioned very often. 1419s

And interestingly, when Andrew speaks, and it's rare, recorded in the New Testament, 1424s

when Andrew speaks in that rarity, Andrew always seems to say the right thing. 1431s

In Matthew chapter 4, 18 to 22, and we won't turn there for the sake of time, 1440s

you've got a parallel account in Matthew the fifth chapter. 1448s

In Matthew the fourth chapter, Andrew is mentioned. 1452s

In the parallel account, in other words, it's just a retelling in another gospel 1456s

of the story. 1460s

Andrew, he's not even mentioned. 1463s

We know he was there because in the Matthew account, it mentions that he was there. 1466s

He was so much in the background in Luke that Luke doesn't even mention his name. 1472s

He doesn't even mention his name. 1478s

There is nothing in Scripture that indicates that Andrew ever preached to a crowd. 1480s

But interestingly, when you look at Andrew, 1489s

Andrew always seems to be in the process of bringing someone to meet Jesus. 1491s

So you've got Peter there and his extroversion here, and then you've got Andrew in the background, 1499s

just quietly going about Andrew's stuff, introducing people to Jesus. 1506s

Andrew just keeps working one on one. 1514s

And in most accounts, it's not scriptural. 1518s

Most accounts, extra biblical here. 1522s

Andrew was hung on a cross. 1526s

It took two days for him to die, as he was hung on the cross, 1529s

and he was proclaiming Christ to the pastors by the whole time that he was on the cross. 1535s

He never wrote an epistle. 1543s

Andrew isn't even mentioned in the book of Acts. 1547s

He's not even mentioned. 1552s

He's quiet. 1555s

He's inconspicuous, faithful laborer for the Lord Jesus Christ. 1557s

Andrew, an introvert for Jesus? 1566s

Yep, probably. 1572s

Probably. 1576s

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? 1578s

However you are, you've been wired by God and rejoice in that. 1583s

In our extroverted world, being an introvert is not something that needs to be changed. 1588s

Receive it with joy and embrace it. 1598s

Being an extrovert is not something that needs to be changed. 1602s

Embrace it with joy. 1608s

If you're somewhere in between, this introversion, extroversion, 1611s

where you kind of say, well, sometimes I guess I'm an extrovert, 1616s

sometimes I'm an introvert, and I'm just kind of someplace in between there. 1623s

That is something to be received with joy. 1628s

God used Peter and God used Andrew and God used you. 1633s

So how then can we share the Lord Jesus Christ in ways that are compatible with how God has wired us? 1644s

That's the question. 1657s

And we'll continue extroverts and introverts and everybody in between. 1659s

We'll continue next week. 1665s