Elijah
The Quiet Original
- Imaginative
- Flexible
- Reserved
- Independent
Elijahs have ideas worth hearing and a view they will stand behind. On Mount Carmel, Elijah challenged a whole crowd to decide whom they would follow.
An illustrative Big Five pattern. Further out means a stronger tendency; emotional balance varies from person to person.
Their heads are full of pictures and ideas, and quiet time recharges them, so they think before they speak.
They might drift into a daydream on the bus, then change their whole plan for Saturday without fuss. When they do speak, it is their own view, and it can surprise people who thought they were only being quiet.
Strengths
Pictures in their heads
They can imagine things in detail, from a whole story to a new fix. Sharing a rough idea can give friends another possibility to explore.
Easy with change
When plans change, they change with them. They find the next good thing to do and get on with it.
A quiet side
Time on their own recharges them, and they think before they speak. A little preparation can make it easier to share what they have been thinking.
Their own mind
They do not just go along with the group. Like Elijah asking a whole crowd how long they would waver, they work out what they think and say it plainly.
Watch-outs
You may struggle to explain an imagined idea
You may picture an idea clearly while others cannot see how its parts connect. Draw a rough sketch or give one example before adding more detail.
You may leave preparation until the deadline
Going with the flow works well until a deadline arrives. Pick one thing each week to plan ahead, like a test or a lift home.
You may keep your thoughts to yourself
Friends may not know what you are thinking unless you tell them. Send the message you have been drafting in your head.
You may disagree before hearing someone out
Saying what you think is a gift, and so is asking what others think. Before you disagree, ask one honest question first.
Elijah as a friend
As friends, Elijahs often bring an unexpected idea or a view the group has not considered. They may enjoy a few close friendships and time alone between gatherings.
An invitation without pressure, and a genuine interest in their thoughts, can help them feel included.
What helps them feel close
- Friends who are happy to do something quiet together.
- Someone who asks their view and actually waits for the answer.
- A friend who can change plans with them without making a fuss.
In everyday life
Youth group
At youth group or on a team, they may hang back at the start, then come out with the idea nobody else thought of. They are glad to help, as long as they can do it their own way.
School
They may enjoy choosing an angle of their own. A quiet first attempt, followed by a conversation about their ideas, gives them more than one way into the work.
Faith
Their faith may grow in quiet moments: a walk, a question they turn over, a prayer in their own words. God is close in the quiet too, and his love for them does not depend on what they get done.
Where could you say what you honestly think, even when others stay quiet?
On Mount Carmel, Elijah stood before all the people and asked, “How long will you waver between the two sides?” He said what he thought to the whole crowd.
When the prophets of Baal got no answer from their god, Elijah mocked them with a vivid picture: maybe Baal was deep in thought, away on a journey, or asleep and needing to be woken. A mind of his own and a quick imagination both show in that one day.