12-4-15 The Men at the Mall

“I’ll be just a minute,” my wife said as she went into a store. I could see that there was absolutely nothing that interested me in there so I opted to warm a bench in the thoroughfare at the mall. I knew a “minute” did not mean sixty seconds.

I sat down next to a couple other gentlemen who were doing the same thing. We discussed the dangers of acting impatient while she shopped or letting a sigh slip out. This proved a much better strategy.

I don’t have much patience for certain things. So when I read this verse it annoyed me. It reminded me of waiting for my wife while she shopped.

When I looked at the meaning of “patience” I found that it means, “cheerful endurance, stamina, fortitude, resolution, durability, persistence, tenacity”. Those words sound much better. When I find myself waiting for my wife with the other bench warmers while she is shopping, I can tell myself I am being durable, persistent, tenacious and compliment myself on my stamina, fortitude and resolution.” The more I do this the better I will get at it. I feel that I can now encourage the other men with my new-found knowledge.

Exercising my faith works much like this. When I am waiting on God, I can practice using my stamina, fortitude, resolution, durability, persistence and tenacity. I can be patient and thereby be mature (perfect) and trust that God will work things out. I have no need to be impatient or wanting.

Now, I need to practice my cheerful endurance.

“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:3-4.

© copyright Kevin T Boekhoff

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