It was a hot Missouri day and I was working outside. Actually it was very hot and very humid. Not the kind of day my genetics, northern European, wants to have anything to do with. I would rather have 50-degree weather, with misting rain, than 80-degree weather and 55% relative humidity. When the weather is hot and humid it wears on my nerves; I find myself becoming more and more impatient as I try to endure the heat. Thus, when I was interrupted, in the midst of my eyes being filled with sweat and things not going very well, my response was not filled with Christian peace and joy. At that point, my loved ones would have been hard pressed to declare me a “long suffering” individual.
I am a mature enough Christian, however, to understand the Holy Spirit’s declaration that: ‘there is virtue in patience and condemnation in being short tempered.’ If I take the time to think about it, I know that we all have the rest of our lives to accomplish any earthly task set before us. Jesus makes it very plain that we do not know if we have a tomorrow so today could be the ‘rest of our lives.’ Lets face it, when we get right down to the fine point of our decision making, it is none other than “I” who is demanding that some earthly thing be done right now; and done exactly the way I want it done. All too often, we become control freaks over our own earthly endeavors, God forbid we should try to control those around us, when we should be more concerned with the production of spiritual fruit in our lives.
God cares about our spiritual fruit production not our earthly accomplishments. God would rather have me attend to my family’s emotional needs than mow the lawn or paint the house or build a fence. If I could learn to put my relationship building efforts ahead of worldly endeavors there would be less stress in my life and fewer things to try my patience.
So you see, I know that I am to be a man of patience; yet, my desire to be in control, especially when combined with heat and humidity, can drive patience from me. When this happens, my first reaction, at least I continually pray for it to be my first reaction, is to remind myself that: ‘failure in producing spiritual fruit must not also result in the loss of Christian love.’ You cannot be short tempered with someone and, at the same time, be filled with Christian love: the two just plain cannot exist at the same time in the same place. I have learned the best way for me to regain my Christian perspective is to concentrate on God’s love and on my need to always be a source of Christian love.
This is not an easy thing to do when your temples are throbbing and your emotions are raging like a tornado. Still, I have learned that turning my mind toward God is the only thing that can quiet my troubled emotions, especially where heat is a factor. In the presence of God, my emotions are calmed and I can fall under the influence of Jesus’ love; I can be successful in producing spiritual fruit. Yes, when my concentration is interrupted it is difficult for me to be a patient man, especially when it is hot and humid; but it is possible.