Quiz Anyone?
by Marlene Houk
Burke County
Do you take quizzes about yourself and share them? To some, they provide fun and entertainment. Here are several of the quirkiest listed on Buzz Feed:
- Design a Mansion, and We’ll Tell You What Season Matches Your Personality
- We Know How Many Kids You Will Have Based on Your Design of a Park
- What Kind of Donut Are You?
- Build Your Dream Home and We’ll Reveal What Kind of Sneeze You Have
Personality and other quizzes seem irresistible and bring a sense of pleasure and identification with others. We crave to know more about ourselves and how others perceive us. And we love to share our results, even when we know they are constructed to make us feel good about ourselves. An article on LeadQuizzes.com says that psychologists believe we fulfill our social, self-esteem, and fulfillment needs when we answer the questions and that quizzes help us to enter and identify with a larger group of people who feel the same.
God created within humans these needs (social, self-esteem, and fulfillment). He then encourages us to know ourselves, describing our pursuit as wise in Proverbs 14:8. The first part of the verse says, “The wisdom of the prudent is to know his way:”
Our social needs include a void that only a relationship with God can fill. He even sent His Son to die for our sins, breaking the barrier of unholiness so that we could fellowship with Him in freedom if we choose.
From these ten brief words in Proverbs, our libraries contain thousands of books and resources about the psychology of knowing ourselves and our businesses. The marketing world plays with the nuances of these needs by creating quizzes designed to engage customers through self-analysis. For them, the ultimate goal, of course, is to sell products.
Although many of these quizzes analyze light-hearted parts of our lives, there are more serious tests that can guide a company to a stronger position in the economy. One of the basic quizzes in my business administration degree’s capstone course was an assessment called the SWOT analysis. Here is what each letter means.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
The idea in business is to turn the weaknesses of an organization into strengths and to change the opportunities into business revenue. The threats are to be recognized and diluted or quarantined if possible. The SWOT quiz or analysis for a business reminds me of the many verses in the Bible that address these categories.
Strengths
When our world crumbles and all that is dear to us is attacked, we need strength. And 2 Samuel 22:33 reveals an unending source from which to draw. The verse declares, “God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.”
Weaknesses
When our weaknesses disappoint us, then we can know from 2 Corinthians 12:9 that the Lord can reveal Himself through the cracks of our faults, offering a perspective for future crises. The verse says, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Opportunities
When God-given opportunities present themselves, we can enthusiastically act. Galatians 6:10 encourages us by saying, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
Threats
Identifying threats highlights the urgent need for protection. This is true in business as well as in the Christian life. Our largest threat as believers is the devil as 1 Peter 5:8 declares, but his sinister presence is diminished and shielded by our armor found in the wardrobe room located in Ephesians chapter 6:10-18.
When we assess our faith by taking the SWOT analysis, what a delight it is to find solutions in the Word of God. During my earthly crises, a SWOT analysis from the Bible offers peace, perspective, and even pleasure in Jesus’ presence.
Taking the quiz called, pick a Photo In Every Color, and We’ll Reveal Your Best Quality” might be fun, but knowing who I am in Christ brings me fulfillment, joy, and purpose for eternity.
You can read more from Marlene Houk HERE.
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Marlene is an author and teacher of Bible studies. She may be reached at Bible167@gmail.com
To receive helpful insight from the Bible, sign up for her newsletter at http://www.MarleneHouk.com, or connect with her on other social media. You can read more from Marlene HERE.
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