OKAY … OKAY …. To all of my family and friends out there who are gripping their sides in laughter at the idea of me writing a blog on patience …JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE WILL YOU??!!!
Granted – had I perused the list of fruits of the Spirit more closely and realized I would have to come to this one – I may have chosen a series on …. Oh I don’t know – ANYTHING else!!!
Well – not about me – not about being comfortable – so here we go!
Matthew 18: 23- 35 - Tells the story of a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. One owed him a ton of money and was unable to pay. He begged the king to be patient with him, promising on his knees to pay back everything.
In other words he wanted the king to wait and give him a chance.
You probably know the rest of the story – the same servant refused to have “patience” with one who owed him a small amount of money. When the king heard of the servant’s lack of patience – he was furious.
That’s my picture of patience. It seems to leap from the pages of scripture. Please wait and give me a chance. That same concept is found in 2 Peter 3:15 – “our Lord’s patience means salvation” and 2 Peter 3:9 where the Lord is described as “patient” because he doesn’t want anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.
I Timothy 1:16 – talks about Christ Jesus displaying his “unlimited patience” in showing mercy to a sinner.
Some characteristics of this magnificent fruit:
Proverbs 19:11 – “A man’s wisdom gives him patience … “
Proverbs 14:29 - “A patient man has great understanding…”
Proverbs 15:18 – “ … a patient man calms a quarrel”
Proverbs 16:32 – “Better a patient man than a warrior …”
Patience - a mark of maturity, a salve for quarreling, stronger than a warrior, the character trait that God uses as He waits for a stubborn and sinful world to accept His Son.
Please wait and give a chance to a person, a situation, to yourself … it is what the
Lord does.
Patience – a soothing, nourishing fruit of the Spirit.