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Love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4, NLT).
The Greek word for “patient” in 1 Corinthians 13:4 means “to not lose heart,” “to persevere,” and “to endure misfortunes.”
On a scale of 1 to 10, I approach 5 (on a good day). With prayer and fasting, I can get to a 7. I never pray for patience because I find most events in my life so challenging for my long-suffering that I don’t need any more “patience-testing” opportunities from heaven.
Recently, I took my grandsons Jackson, Jesse, and Colin to McDonald’s®.
I was in a rush and thought I could get in and out of McDonald’s with minimal hassle. When I pulled into the parking lot, the drive-through line went around the building, through an adjoining parking lot, and extended into the next zip code.
So, we went inside, thinking there would be a short line. But the customer queue coiled like a snake around the inside of the dining room, with only one cashier taking orders.
I told my grandsons that we didn’t have enough time and that we should fast for the day.
Instead, they suggested that I make the order through a stand-alone video kiosk. There was no one in line at the kiosk, so I approached it confidently, pressed this item and the next and the next, and then the screen went blank.
My patience level was now approaching minus 2, but Colin (my youngest grandson) said that he would make the order. A few of his finger pushes and slashes later, Colin said, “OG (Old Guy—what they call me), put your credit card in that slot.”
Trying to justify my irritability to my grandsons, I proclaimed that it would take hours to get our order. But my middle grandson Jesse said, “OG, we’ve been here before. We use the kiosk because all the older people stand in line. The food comes quickly.”
It did. A few minutes later, we were munching on cheeseburgers, and I was stealing their French fries.
As we left McDonald’s, feeling guilty, I said, “Hey, guys, forgive me for being impatient.” To which Jackson (my oldest grandson) replied, “That’s okay, OG, we all get impatient sometimes!”
HHHHMMMHHM!
I could say that after being schooled in patience by my grandsons, I’ve grown from a minus 2 to a plus 8 daily. But I haven’t. My shining moment with my grandsons wasn’t my patience but my willingness to confess my impatience.
1 Corinthians 13 adds to patience a few other qualities. . .
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged (vv. 4-5).
I admit that I’m probably a 4 or a 5 with the list that comes after patience. But that’s what’s great about grace. It’s not if we stumble—because we will again and again and again—it’s whether we learn to confess our sins.
I think I taught this lesson to my grandkids. And I suggest that if you want to practice the art of confession. . .
Go to McDonald’s and try that kiosk.