Growing as an Enneagram Two: The Helperعينة

Being Helpful Is Your Gift As you sat in church last Sunday, what did you notice around you? Did you see a tired mom, spit-up stains on her wrinkled shirt, whose eyes looked weary as she sipped from her travel mug? Or maybe you saw a young man whom you haven’t seen before. He looked a little lost and his gaze was firmly affixed on his folded hands. You may have glanced over at Becky, who you know is recovering from surgery; she looked well, but you noticed her shifting now and then in discomfort. Why do I know this was likely what you were doing? Because the eyes of a Helper can’t help but notice needs, and dear Two, you are the Helper of the Enneagram. The gift of discerning needs is one that you’re proficient at, and you probably started to realize this when you were very young. People don’t need to tell you what they need, and they never need to ask you twice for a helping hand. You just know. You just act. This is a gift. You have probably noticed that others don’t quite see needs as you do, and maybe this has felt frustrating, but don’t let it be so. This oversight in others should only highlight the gifting you hold. Not everyone sees as you do, and you’re so needed. Even in the loneliness and quiet of your work behind the scenes—hours cutting paper in the shape of onesies for a baby shower, days of fixing a bike for a kid in your neighborhood, cooking in the kitchen while everyone else is chatting—you are appreciated. You see, Twos are glue. You’re the glue that keeps families coming together around a table; you’re the glue that mends hearts and fixes wrongs; you’re the glue that keeps us all together. Without you, we’d all fall apart, and I have a feeling that, deep down, you know just how true that is. Take a moment to pray and thank God for the gift and honor of being a Helper.