Don't Waste Anything Series

Marcus Bach in his book The Power of Perception tells of how

great worth is found in waste. An old lead and zinc mine had been

abandoned for years. It appeared a worthless worn out pit with all

its value exhausted. But when man developed a new need, a need

for Tungsten, the waste deposits from this old mine were re-assayed

and discovered to be full of Tungsten. The ghost mine sprang back

into life, and a thriving community grew up because waste could

produce worth. In other words, it was not waste at all, but valuable

stuff. Bach says, no mine is ever totally exhausted, and all waste just

waits for man to discover a new use for it. As men develop the

power of perception, they see new values in what they formerly

threw away. Numerous are the examples of how what were once

waste products are now valued products.

Nothing is more practical than the art of turning waste into

worth and James the brother of our Lord was an expert. He has the

power to perceive the worth in what everyone else tends to call

worthless-the trials of life. What can be a greater waste in life than

to suffer trials and tribulation? We count it all joy when we can

escape these worthless types of waste. But James, with an advanced

perception, says you are throwing away your own treasure . There

is great value to be gotten from tough times. In fact, it is one of life's

most precious values-the virtue of patience.

Less you think that patience is a very simple thing, let me point

out how it covers a multitude of complex feelings and attitudes.

1. It means a calm waiting in hope. This is the patience of the

gardener or farmer who plants his seed and then must wait to see

the fruit.

2. It means endurance of trial; a putting up with what is not

pleasant, such as a nine year old boy who is convinced he can learn

to be the world's greatest drummer.

3. It means self-control. When too many things happen at once, you

can still keep your cool and not go to pieces, but persevere through

them all. There are many different degrees of this virtue.

James says to Christians who are struggling with life's

adversities-don't waste anything in life-not even your negative

experiences, for they contain great potential. They can be used to

produce the costly value of patience. If you lack the wisdom to see

this, ask God for it, says James, for none are so wise as those who

have the power of perception that can explore the waste deposits of

human burdens, and see how they can be turned into human

blessings. May God grant us wisdom as we try to see what James

reveals concerning the value and the vision of patience.

I. THE VALUE OF PATIENCE.

Patience is a hard to win virtue. It does not come from reading

books and hearing sermons. You cannot teach patience, because it is

not taught, it is caught, and it is only caught by getting into the

stream of life's trials. Patience is like a purple heart. The only way

you can get it is by getting wounded in battle. The great Henry

Ward Beecher said, "There is no such thing as preaching patience

into people unless the sermon is so long that they have to practice it

while they hear. No man can learn patience except by going out into

the hurly-burly world, and taking life just as it blows....and riding

out the gale." We cannot learn patience by this message, but we can

learn to appreciate its value.

You have to be thoroughly convinced of the value of patience if

you are going to pay the price to obtain it. Men fight for their

country, and for their family, and for the honor of their faith, but

whoever heard of fighting against adversity, and all the while

counting it a joy because they are thereby gaining the virtue of

patience. We all know it is a wonderful thing to have, but is it that

precious? James clearly implies that it is. It is so valuable to possess

it that those who see its value can even suffer in joy when they know

that their suffering is leading them to more patience. Only a deep

grasp of this value will enable any Christian to practice what James

tells them to do. Men can only enjoy suffering that pays high

dividends.

Men can suffer long fearful journeys, and hunger and thirst and

pain of every description, if the end result is gold. Men have

suffered everything for gold, and just the hope of possessing it drove

them to endure agonies beyond our comprehension. A value less