Ed, my neighbour next door, tends to be pretty relaxed about time. He has been five or 10 minutes late, for more than a few appointments. Ed considers that nothing really needs to start right on time, unless it is a ceremony where a person is being given a million dollar lottery cheque. "I took my own sweet time to be born, and there is no need to be in a rush in my life now," Ed often says. Ruby, his wife, says Ed comes from a family of slow movers. They are all slow doing anything except eating. Ed says that he is the most patient person he knows. Ed says ,"I have a flexible mind and more common sense, than I need, and that is what makes me a patient person,"
I asked Ed if his wife Ruby also sees him as a patient person. He said without hesitation. "Not on your life. She claims I'm impatient when driving, impatient when shopping and impatient about anything that I don't want to do, like visiting hospitals and nursing homes." I guess it is a toss up as to whether Ed is patient or not. He says he is, and Ruby says he isn't. I do think Ed is patient with himself, that is he doesn't criticize himself a lot or blame himself for what he might have done. It has been my experience that Ed has been impatient towards preachers, politicians, bankers, every level of government and anyone who doesn't agree with him. Mind you, this is not absolute fact, just what I have observed.
I do know I'm not nearly as patient as I would like to be. I do have my patient moments, but, there are also times when I'm impatiently acting out in frustration. There is no law against being patient or any of the other character traits that God wants us to develop as Christians. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
In reality, each trait has a powerful alternative; will it be love or hate; joy or grumpiness; patience or impatience; kindness or meanness; goodness or evil; faithfulness or faithlessness; gentleness or aggression; self-control or no control. Not only do these traits come with negative opposites, we may do our best to limit how much love, patience and kindness we are willing display. Sadly, many are not convinced the world would be improved if everyone became more loving, more joyous, more peaceful, more patient. Are more goodness, more faithfulness, more gentleness and more self-control really needed? Hating, grumbling, fighting, acting in impatience, being bad, faithless, aggressive and without any self control, often suits folks as a better response to life.
In 2014, will we add a more positive or a more negative flavour, to our own life and the lives of others? Most folks would prefer to be treated with love, rather than criticism. We need to treat others as we would like to be treated. The more we offer to others - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self control - the more they will return them to us and make 2014 a good year for all.
