Lately the subject of patience has come up. I've been noticing for quite some time how extinct this virtue has become in our day. People are hurrying too and fro not taking the time to really enjoy or even to help each other.
I was listening to the radio the other day when a caller called in commenting on how he sat outside a Walmart just to people watch. His observation led him to the conclusion that people are just so busy doing and rushing around they're not happy. He listened and watched as they'd come out of the store. More than not he heard alot of griping, swearing and just overall not very happy attitudes.
I saw this last week when I went to the register at an outlet shop. I had a fair amount of stuff but not overly so and this woman came up behind me just after I got in line. She made a rude comment to her friend, as she leaned impatiently over her carriage, about how if she only had a couple of things she would just walk out. Was that for my benefit? For what? She just got in line two seconds ago. I tend to be very quick and organized. I'm not one of those pokey customers and I'm always conscious of someone in line behind me.
In this case, the cashier was away helping another customer as I was putting my stuff on the counter. I put things in order by putting all the quantities together (like the 12 identical glasses I bought) and also by taking all the hangers off the clothing to save time for the cashier. I fold things and leave the tags exposed to make things a bit easier and quicker for the cashier. Since I was buying 6 canvas bags I told the cashier just to put all the merchandise in them instead of bagging it in plastic.
Everything went pretty quickly and efficiently until near the end when I saw that I had grabbed 4 (identical) shower curtains instead of the three that I wanted. I asked that he just take one off. That's when I heard it. The lady who had, by this time, stood behind me for less than maybe 3-4 minutes let out this loud "for crying out loud" totally for my benefit. She wasn't a happy camper from the get go so it had nothing really to do with this one little item that took less than a nano second to clear up. She seized an opportunity to show how excessively impatient she really was.
I looked at the cashier, smiled and just said, "patience is a virtue." He said nothing. He probably didn't want to get involved between us two ladies.
I know as a Christian I'm called to live my faith by responding with grace rather than by giving out grief regardless of the circumstances. It's easy to act with grace when things are going your way.
I am called to have patience with difficult people by being slow to anger and then to quickly get rid of it if it happens. But our culture is telling us just the opposite by its attitude. They are quick to anger and very slow to get rid of it.
According to scripture the best way to deal with difficult people is to love them because love suffers long. Patience or longsuffering is a fruit of the spirit. As Christians we are to bear sweet fruit. You know a tree by its fruit.
We all will face difficult problems and difficult people in our lives but the question is why? What is the purpose? I believe it is not to defeat us or to discourage us but to develop us. Sometimes it takes these difficult times to show us how strong or weak we are in dealing with them. God's goal for us is maturity because full grown patience makes for full grown Christians.
Face it. We live in an instant mashed potato society. Everyone wants it now. Maybe that's why we don't garden like we used to. It takes time to produce that fruit.
Many times it easier to do wrong than to wait. We need to be reminded that patience is a bitter plant but it always produces a sweet fruit.
"Those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint." Isa 40:31