Sarah
The Quiet Realist
- Practical
- Flexible
- Reserved
- Independent
Sarahs often have more going on inside than they say aloud. When Sarah heard the promise of a son from inside the tent, she laughed within herself before anyone heard her response.
An illustrative Big Five pattern. Further out means a stronger tendency; emotional balance varies from person to person.
They think before they speak, and when it matters, they say so.
They enjoy one friend more than a crowd and would rather work something out than follow the room. Their opinions are their own, even when shared quietly.
Strengths
Down-to-earth sense
They look at what is actually there and what will work. They may enjoy helping a friend work out a practical next step.
Easy with change
When plans fall through, they may be willing to try another way. They can turn a changed evening into a good one.
They think it through
They let their thoughts form before sharing them. When they speak up, they have usually worked out what they mean.
A mind of their own
They do not need the group to agree before they know what they think. They can say no to something that does not sit right.
Watch-outs
You may keep your thoughts to yourself
Because so much happens inside, friends cannot always tell what you think. Share one thought out loud, even a half-finished one.
You may decide without hearing another view
Because you trust your own view, you may decide without asking anyone. Ask one friend what they think before a big choice.
You may leave deadlines unwritten
Going with the flow is easy, but deadlines still come. Write the one date that matters somewhere you will see it.
Sarah as a friend
As friends, Sarahs often appreciate an easy pace, a small circle and room for their own views. They may be happy to change the plan while still wanting a say in it.
Friends who allow some quiet and ask rather than assume can help them feel comfortable.
What helps them feel close
- Friends who can sit together without filling every silence.
- Plans that can change without a fuss.
- People who ask what they think and accept the answer.
In everyday life
Youth group
At youth group, they like to find their people and take in the room before joining in. They make up their own minds about the discussion.
School
They may prefer real examples and some space to work alone. Writing down a thought before a class discussion gives them another way to join in.
Faith
Jesus knows them through and through, the thoughts they say aloud and the ones they keep inside, and he loves all of them.
When has something good felt difficult to believe?
When visitors came to Abraham’s tent and asked where Sarah was, she was inside, listening at the tent door. When she heard their promise of a son, Genesis says she laughed “within herself”, in her own thoughts rather than out loud.
A lot went on inside her before anything was said.