Page 21 - Biblical Counseling II

same solutions. Parents are not only role models. Television, teachers, siblings, peers, sports, and celebrities
all provide examples from whom behavior can be learned” (p. 169).

What do you think of the behavioral approach to personality? Think again about your personality traits.
Which ones do you think you learned as you grew? Were you punished for certain personality traits? If our
two-year-old Joshua was punished when he was shy, would he learn not to be shy? What if Joshua is raised
by shy, timid parents? Would he then become shy and timid?

You can see how the biological approach and behavioral approach have pieces that make sense, and we can
see their theories in our own lives. However, when both biology and behavior are studied, we gain the most
knowledge about how our personalities are formed and continue to develop. We know our personality was
given to us when God created us in His image. Our personalities have continued to develop as we’ve been
influenced by the world around us. As you train to become pastors and counsel those in your life, think about
how Jesus helped those around him by modeling behavior that impacted others.

“Many passages in Scripture point to the importance of observational learning. In Luke 6:40, Jesus stated that
‘a student... who is fully trained will be like his teacher.’ John cautions us to be careful who we emulate (3
John 11). In his daily relationship with His disciples, Jesus modeled servanthood as He healed the sick and
cared for the lowly. His most powerful lesson in this regard came not in the preaching of a message, but in
the demonstration of servanthood when He washed His disciples’ feet (John 13). Understanding the power of
role modeling, Peter told pastors that they should not be authoritarian rulers, but should be examples
worthy of imitation by those under their authority (1 Peter 5:3). These and other passages exhort us not just
to profess faith, but to live it and demonstrate Christ’s power at work within us (James 2:14-26). Why?
Because modeling is a valid and effective means of affecting the lives of others” (Shields & Bredfeldt, p. 178,
2001).

Human Freedom, Dignity, and Worth
“One of the impressive things about Jesus is the dignity, freedom, and value He gives to people. He did not
force or cajole His disciples to follow Him. He did not manipulate them with rewards and reinforcement. He
was not focused on modifying their behavior. He gave people the freedom to make their own decisions and
afforded them the dignity of personal choice. On occasion He gave people the freedom to walk away from
him in unbelief. He wasn’t interested in commitments that came only when the water was being turned to
wine or the miracles were numerous. No, He sought disciples who would sacrificially follow even to death
with no immediate reinforcements in sight. Jesus knew that changing behavior was insufficient. He focused
on the inner person, on motives, and on character. He sought to change the total person, not just behavior”
(Shields & Bredfeldt, p. 178, 2001).

Reflection: Spend some time thinking about your behavior around others. How do you show others Jesus?
What personality traits do others see in you that are Christ-like? Write a few reflection sentences here.

This is a lot of information about personality! There are many more theories that have complicated and
interesting beliefs about how our personalities are formed and developed. We are going to look at one more
perspective on personality. This comes from a social-cognitive perspective.

The Social-Cognitive Perspective
In the view of social-cognitive psychologists, what mutual influences shape an individual’s personality?

The social-cognitive perspective on personality proposed by Albert Bandura focuses on the interaction of
our traits with our situations. Much as nature and nurture always work together, so do individuals and their
situations.

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