“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You, too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” (James 5:7-11, NIV).Interestingly, the Hebrew word for patience comes from a word that means “long of nose,” a sort of unusual visual way of describing one who is longsuffering and slow to anger. How long should the Christian be patient? Until the Lord comes again. The early Christians expected Jesus to return very quickly. Here we are, over 2,000 years since Christ made that promise, which, scholars tell us, is the only one of Jesus’ promises not yet fulfilled. And we still need to practice the virtue of patience, expectantly awaiting His return.
I can understand well James’ illustration of the patient farmer who waits after he plants the seeds for the rains and the eventual harvest. The fall and spring rains were especially necessary to the Palestinian farmer’s good crop. I grew up on a farm and observed first-hand how patience is necessary. All of us who enjoy growing things, whether on a farm, in a garden or flowers in our yards, know the value of patience. It takes time for whatever we plant to grow and produce. The Greek word for patience in the New Testament means “long on good feeling, delay of anger, endurance.” And what are we to do as we exercise patience? We are to “stand firm.” Don’t be wishy-washy. The Lord, our judge, is standing at the door! Our patience (or lack of it) is noted. As we read in Galatians 5:22, patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Being a fruit, like the crop of the farmer, we plant patience, little by little, and let it grow and develop. James gives examples of enduring patience. The prophets of the Old Testament exercised patience. Think of so many of them, even when their message was not heeded: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea and others. And Job, too, was an example of patience. Although he lost all his possessions and his children and was ridiculed by so-called friends as being the brunt of God’s displeasure, Job showed great patience. His patience was well rewarded. In the end, God turned Job’s sorrow into joy. Indeed, one who is patient and endures is rewarded by the Lord who is “full of compassion and mercy.”
Patience is not instinctive with us. In fact, the opposite is true. Most of us are extremely impatient by nature. We learn to be patient, to wait, to endure. Patience leads to perseverance. Studying how others practiced patience (like the prophets and Job, and even more modern role-model Christians like Corrie ten Boom and Dietrich Bonhoffer) can help us to develop this important quality of patience. James wrote at a time when Christians were enduring persecution. They were especially urged to exercise patience during times of trial and tribulation. Paul wrote similar advice in Romans 12:12: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (NIV).
Prayer: Dear God, I’m impatient by nature, but I want to be patient. I will practice patience day by day. Help me to know that with your help I can become patient, waiting for You to do your wonderful work and will.
c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, October 26, 2010
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