“The healthy Christian is not necessarily the extrovert, ebullient Christian, but the Christian who has a sense of God’s presence stamped deep on his soul, who trembles at God’s word, who lets it dwell in him richly by constant meditation upon it, and who tests and reforms his life daily in response to it.”

J.I. Packer

We’re preconditioned to admire the extroverts. Sometimes, we wish we were more like the cheerful (ebullient), enthusiastic life of the party–who talks a lot about God, who is often up front, who gets asked to pray and lead.

But the church needs all types. And Packer wisely warns us to be careful not to equate extroversion and cheer with spiritual health. The more important factors are postures–attitudes toward God, toward His word, toward His people. Of course cheerful extroverts may have a profoundly healthy spirituality. But not without these more profound virtues. Likewise, the quieter folks who tend to blend in shouldn’t be assumed to be less wise or less spiritual. We need to hear from them too.