THE MISSING VIRTUE

2 Timothy 4:1-4
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.


From the time I was a toddler until I graduated from college, I was surrounded by people and institutions that excelled at dropping quotes and sayings. Among them were these: "Haste makes waste." "Good things come to those who wait." "Don't sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate." "Patience is a virtue." The first three I could grasp. The meaning of the last one, however, escaped me for a long time--until I came to understand that a virtue is a positive character trait that one must cultivate.

To understand why God considers patience to be important for the follower of Jesus, it's helpful to look at its opposite: impatience.

First, impatience is harmful. Every day newspapers around the world contain stories of people who died because of impatience on the road. You may know someone who died or was injured because he wouldn't wait. Impatient people constantly put themselves at risk.

Second, impatience is selfish. The unuttered slogan of the impatient person is "Me first!" That's no doubt the reason the apostle Paul said, "Love is patient" (1 Corinthians 13:4). It's very difficult to be loving and at the same time demand that your wants be addressed ahead of everyone else's.

Third, impatience is childish. A typical childhood tantrum contains this sentiment: "I want it, and I want it now!" No doubt the most significant trait that marks the nature of an immature individual is an unwillingness to wait. The infant wants his milk now. The toddler wants her toys now. The immature adult wants his material things now--often going deep into debt because of the unwillingness to plan and save.

The negative results of impatience are likely the reason Paul told Timothy to exercise patience as he carried out his duties as a young pastor. Patience is not just a virtue; it's a critical Christian way of life. --Dean Ohlman

DESTINATION POINTS
* How often have I gotten myself in trouble or in debt because of my impatience?
* Do others see me as childish because of my inability to wait?
* How can I demonstrate my maturity by my patience?

LINKS:
How Can I Be More Patient?

bottom line: Patience is the path to contentment.

soul journey