In Jesus Holy Name September 26, 2021
Text: James 5:7-9 Redeemer
“Patience, A Needed Virtue”
The message today is not about how to know heaven is your home. It is not about our eternal destiny, but about a character trait called patience.
I have several class mates that serve churches in Minnesota. Several had Lutheran Schools. I don't remember if the story I'm going to share with you is real or not, but it was told to me by a fellow pastor.
At any rate, I'm sure all kindergarten teachers and most moms can identify with the teacher who was helping one of her children put on his boots. It was Minnesota. It was winter, and boots and mittens were a necessity. Helping kindergartens put on boots is in and of itself an example of patience. Now, putting on boots can be a struggle; a struggle the teacher did without complaint.
It was only when she had wiggled and worked the second boot almost on, that her student commented, "Teacher, I think my boots are on the wrong foot." Sure enough, they were. "This has been a long day," the teacher thought to herself.
With a deep sigh, and a heaven-sent prayer, she started the process all over again. Struggling to take the boots off and then switch them was time consuming. This teacher did not perspire easily, but little beads of sweat popped out on her forehead. She helped the student up and said, "There, that's done."
The boy looked at his feet and said, "Teacher, these aren't my boots." At that moment, she called on all those years of experience, and, gently said, "Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Maybe that's why they went on so hard. Let's get them off and put your boots on." And so the process began again.
It was amazing how clear her words were, considering she was speaking them through clenched teeth. Veins were standing out on her neck and forehead by the time those boots were off. Only then did the boy comment, "These boots are my brother's. Mom said that I had to wear them today."
She knelt down and struggled and tussled to slide those overshoes on one more time. With a sense of satisfaction, she looked down on her student and asked, "Now, where are your mittens?" He replied, "I didn't want to lose them, so I stuffed them into the toes of my boots."
The subject for the Lord's message today is "patience." Now, believe it or not, I have actually known some people like that teacher. Although I never met her, Mother Teresa is said to have been that kind of person. When she was asked, if she didn't get angry at all the social injustice all around the world, she replied, "Why should I spend energy in anger that I can extend in love?" God has not called me to be successful. God called me to be faithful."
In the 5th chapter of the New Testament epistle of James, there is a sentence which holds up a farmer as being the epitome of patience. James wrote, "See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient. He does not rush the harvest.
I have met people of patience. I have seen the patience of a husband directed to his wife. Recently, I went out to visit Sharon Danielsen. She is in a full care home. Just outside the entrance was a husband visiting his wife. She was in a wheel chair. He said, she no longer remembers me. But he was there telling her stories. She was unable to take care of herself; she had lost her memory. Still, he visited her in the nursing home every week. He told her about the exciting events in the lives of their children; he brought her flowers. They were for her caregivers to enjoy. But he was patient. He didn't know how much she could understand, so he patiently lived his life as if she could understand everything.
Just this week end we were at a dinner with long time friends. Towards the end of the evening my long time friend mentioned that his wife had been falling a lot lately but no one knew why. She was also not remembering things very well. I noticed that he was the one who filled her plate, and helped her walk. He knew
there would be more days ahead. He was concerned. I reminded him that he had always been a servant and he would do well, caring for his wife. Patience would be required.
Patience is not a virtue in our culture! We have been geared fast food. We expect fast food to be fast. At the bank's drive through, I want to drive through; and if the lady in front of me has to do multiple high finance transactions, she ought to go inside. I confess that I find waiting to be excruciating.
I’m one of those people who, when approaching the checkout lines in the grocery story, carefully calculate the wait times so that I don’t have to waste one second of my busy life standing behind the lady with 21 items in the lane which is supposed to top out at 10. I don't like waiting in the doctor's or dentist's office; I know he's busy, but so am I. That’s why they have magazines for you read about motorcycles. I recommend to everyone who wants to learn patience to go to the Doctor’s office….. that’s why they call it the “waiting room.” A place to learn patience.
And yes I find it had to preach a sermon about, well you know….. patience. We don’t want to wait a minute for “Minute Rice” — we want it in 30 seconds. And somehow, we think watching the pot of water will make it come to a boil faster. The expression “a watched pot never boils” comes to mind.
A verse from the Bible is appropriate here: “Be still and know that I am God”
Still, that's what James tells me to be. He says, "Be patient... until the coming of the Lord.
How patient is patient. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He ended up in prison. After 13 years of managing the property of Potiphar, managing the prison he was finally released. That called for patience and trust in God. We all have to learn that patience takes patience. Having patience means being able to wait calmly knowing that God is aware of our situation.
Moses put up with one adversity and complaint after another. “Lord these people complain all the time….They want to go back to Egypt. What have I done do deserve this trouble? I cannot carry these people in my arms…. His patience was at the end of his rope. It took God 80 years to prepare Moses for leadership. God is not in a hurry.
Saint Paul prayed three times to have an unspecified thorn in the flesh taken away. It wasn't. But that doesn't mean Paul's prayer wasn't heard. It was. Paul was told that his weakness would give God an opportunity to show His power in a way which wouldn't have been possible if Paul had thought he could do things on his own. Then there is that famous verse so often quoted at weddings. "Love is patient; love is kind" (1 Corinthians 13:4). Paul did not just say “Love is kind…. He wrote “Love is patient.”
Patience. It is not one of my gifts. Oh, wait, Did you know that patience is not a gift given to some and not others… (Read Galatians 5: 22-24) Patience is a “fruit” of the Holy Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience…there it is… In order for a fruit to be ripe and enjoyable… it takes time to ripen. So how does the fruit of “patience’ grow…. Through suffering and endurance. Remember Joseph? The prison was his waiting room.
James wrote; Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds…the testing of your faith, which develops perseverance. Perseverance calls for patience. Patience means “waiting”. Waiting is hard. It’s like siting on the lawn waiting for the ice cream truck. You know it is coming you just don’t know the exact time. Our youngest grandson, when told that his grand parents were coming to visit in the afternoon, would go out and sit on the steps and wait. It is the waiting, the patience that brings joy to his face when the car comes up the street.
According to a 2007 study by Fuller Theological Seminary professor Sarah A. Schnitker and UC Davis psychology professor Robert Emmons, patient people tend to experience less depression and negative emotions, perhaps because they can cope better with upsetting or stressful situations.
Finally, patience over daily hassles—traffic jams, long lines at the grocery store, a malfunctioning computer—seems to go along with good mental health. Patience becomes a form of kindness. That’s why the word kindness follows the word patience in Galatians 5 as a fruit of the Spirit that is produced in one’s life.
Patient people are better friends because patience becomes a form of kindness. We tend to listen more and talk less and put our attention on others and not on ourselves. Patience allows us to not be quick to judge and to make wiser decisions.
Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
Do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:5-7
