Digest!
One of best virtues that believers, especially leaders in the fold should crave and thrive for has to do with Patience; call it meekness or long-suffering, etc. it really can perform wonders in our drive to good success. It truly worked for Jesus: He exhibited great patience in life and in His Ministry work on earth; with it we will be able to control and manage our unique disposition or temperament, walk in God’s will and ultimately fulfill our destiny.
It is indeed one virtue that seems popular and simple in thought, but strange in practice. Of course it is not a respecter of persons in that some leaders and respected personalities have come under an undue control of their subjects or followers or subordinates for lack of patience.
Truly, lack of it has invisibly and unbelievably caused greater damage and lost than by anything else.
Now, this was one area that Apostle Paul had to battle with; truly it is important that we also learn from the weaknesses of great people besides their strength side. Paul we see in the Bible exhibiting some measure of impatience in handling John Mark in their Missionary outing, and that led to a slight contention between him and Barnabas. But, thank God the potential in Mark was eventually harnessed by God through Barnabas as he later proved to be of a great help to Paul’s Ministry and the gospel in general.The virtue of patience is no doubt required in Mentoring efforts.
Patience is one attribute that every other great virtue or effort requires to make headway: Love requires patience, vision requires patience, faith requires it, success does as well. I can endlessly enumerate many great virtues that go with the virtue of patience, indeed.
I think it behooves us as believers to do a personal study on this virtue of Patience as this will not only strengthen us it will as well emphatically save us from a great deal of lost and failure in ministry, career, marriage, relationships, etc.
Shalom!
Prof. Stewart Mba, Pastor
