(becoming) peaceful

Proverbs 19:11: A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

With the traffic, crowds, hustle, and rudeness that we often encounter at stores, malls, parking lots (and in our own houses!), it’s easy to get huffy.  “If everyone would just do things the right way,” I often find myself thinking, “then everything would run more smoothly.”

If that lady would get in the slow lane (since she apparently wants to go 5 miles an hour under the speed limit), then traffic could progress at a normal pace.

If people would actually count to see if they have 15 items before jumping into the express line (instead of counting those 10 boxes of cereal as one item), then the express line could function properly – as an express line!

But, alas.  This isn’t how it works.

Our challenge today: Decide to offer an additional measure of patience to those you encounter today (and preferably this whole season — and our whole lives, for that matter — but let’s start small).

Consider: Is the 3 minutes you’d save if you weren’t behind the slow driver (or if the express line was really an express line) really worth the anxiety and frustration you’re allowing it to create? 

Consider, too, what those people might be experiencing: Might the woman in the express line have a child to pick up at daycare?  Might the slow driver be nervous because she had an accident a couple of weeks ago, and has been overly cautious since?  Consider the stresses that your life doesn’t have, instead of the stresses it does. 

And consider the fact that we’ve all been that person – too slow, a terrible item-counter, etc., at some point.  When we were that person, one of two things happened: Either patience was extended to us – in which case we might not even realize what a blessing that was from someone.  Or we were met with impatience – and we all know that’s not pleasant (and it rarely makes things move any faster, anyway).

So, instead of reacting out of frustration, behave with wisdom, respond with patience.  (This is our part of “everyone just doing things the right way.”)  And, remember, patience isn’t something we can conjure up on our own; it involves remaining in God, and being filled with His patience.  Maybe, with God’s help, you could even throw the “offender” a smile….

 

Up next (on Monday): (becoming) prepared for the season

Want to read more?

Start of the fully submitted series: (becoming) fully submitted

Start of the wife series: (becoming) a godly wife

Start of the stewardship series: (becoming) a good steward

Start of the role model series: (becoming) a role model, part one

Start of the wisdom series: (becoming) wise, part one

Start of the Proverbs 6 series: (becoming) closer to God through Proverbs 6

Start of the Christmas series: (becoming) peaceful

Are you a worrier?  Try this post: (becoming) less of a worrier