Have you ever been driving and realize you just did something that you gripe about other drivers doing? What about at the store when you snuck those extra half dozen items through the express register when you complained last week about someone taking one more than the limit?
We all do it. We all have faults, we just don’t like to admit them, but when we see them in others, we come down hard. I wonder if that’s because we recognize them from where we’ve been?
At any rate, Apostle Paul calls believers out on this kind of behavior, telling us to always be humble. That’s not saying we’re lower than anyone else, it’s just admitting that we’re not above anyone else. We’re not to act better, smarter, holier, or anything-er than anyone else. That’s a subjective call at best. The addict you think you’re better than may hold an MBA. We just don’t know, and as believers in Jesus, we should never act that way.
We’re to be patient with our believing siblings. Patient. Not pushing, not pulling, not rushing. We’re to guide and encourage, but then we’re to let Holy Spirit do His work in His timing.
“But I’m just not a patient person, Faye!”
Umm, nope. That’s not going to cut it. If you’re a follower of Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit living in you, and a part of that is His blessing of nine gifts: love, joy, peace, PATIENCE, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
Believer, you HAVE patience.
It’s time to exercise it.
When scripture tells us to do something, that’s a big neon sign telling us that thing is possible for us to do. It likely means we have to make a choice that is contrary to how we’ve been doing things. It may mean that we have to radically change our mindset. It definitely means we have to align ourselves with God in order to act as He expects us to act: in obedience to His Word.
Today is the best possible time to get started on this. Determine in this moment that you’re as good as, but not better than, the people around you. In that attitude, your God-given love will overflow and envelope those you’re supposed to reach.
In every circumstance, choose to respond rather than react. Anyone can react in sudden emotion. A Christ-follower has the edict from the Father to slow down and respond appropriately. Again, it’s something you can do. Choose that.
God in you has gifted you with the love you need and the patience you need and the gentleness you need to be obedient to this command. It’s time to put them into practice.
Ready? Let’s do it!
Coffee, Bible, Journal.
