patience is..?
a virtue? if so, i don't consider myself very virtuous.. i have noticed recently how impatient i am, and i have to admit, it's pretty hypocritical.. i see it most when i'm driving. it doesn't even have to be anything that directly affects me on the road, if i see someone do something going the other direction turning the wrong way i think to myself: "what an idiot!!" and worse, if someone does something to me, like cut me off or slam on their brakes, i am ready to go to war with them. i always joke around that if there were some way of installing a rocket launcher on the front of my truck, i would do it. that way, when someone in front of me ticks me off while i'm driving, i can just push a button and blow them into history, and drive through the remains of what used to be their car. well, i know that's not the answer, but sometimes it sure seems like it would make me feel better.
sometimes the small things have much greater significance. i was thinking about how easily i can get angry at someone. the driving thing is just one example of many. lately i've been trying to focus on living my life like jesus. this should be a constant, i realize, but not much about my life is constant, so i take it day by day. as i read about jesus, i see a man who is mild mannered and loves people. rich, poor, lazy, busy, strong, weak, sick, powerful, lowly. he knows his purpose. he knows why he was sent to earth- to show the world the love of the father. story after story of jesus being tired at the end of the day, and someone coming to him in need of healing or just want to hear him speak the word. granted, even jesus had times when he didn't want to be around people, and even times when he was angry, but on a day to day basis of his life, he was the kind of person you want to be around. loving and caring. it's definitely not an easy thing to be loving and caring to everyone. especially in our busy lives. but i bet jesus still would be the same loving and caring person he was then, today. so i have to remind myself throughout the day, follow the footsteps of jesus. imagine the effect we would have on people if we treated them the way jesus would. just tonight i passed a man on the street. it's cold and wet in nashville. i should have offered him something. anything. even offered him a smile. i don't know what jesus would have done, but i doubt it was what i did; look the other way. i'm not saying we have to be a saint, forfeit all our earthly treasures and live in a monastary. but i know that i need to start loving people like jesus does. no bias, no prejudice. there's no good reason to not respect someone enough to show them jesus. we shouldn't save that for sundays. i need to start living a life that reflects the love that i've been shown. i have the perfect example.
praying for patience
NCR
sometimes the small things have much greater significance. i was thinking about how easily i can get angry at someone. the driving thing is just one example of many. lately i've been trying to focus on living my life like jesus. this should be a constant, i realize, but not much about my life is constant, so i take it day by day. as i read about jesus, i see a man who is mild mannered and loves people. rich, poor, lazy, busy, strong, weak, sick, powerful, lowly. he knows his purpose. he knows why he was sent to earth- to show the world the love of the father. story after story of jesus being tired at the end of the day, and someone coming to him in need of healing or just want to hear him speak the word. granted, even jesus had times when he didn't want to be around people, and even times when he was angry, but on a day to day basis of his life, he was the kind of person you want to be around. loving and caring. it's definitely not an easy thing to be loving and caring to everyone. especially in our busy lives. but i bet jesus still would be the same loving and caring person he was then, today. so i have to remind myself throughout the day, follow the footsteps of jesus. imagine the effect we would have on people if we treated them the way jesus would. just tonight i passed a man on the street. it's cold and wet in nashville. i should have offered him something. anything. even offered him a smile. i don't know what jesus would have done, but i doubt it was what i did; look the other way. i'm not saying we have to be a saint, forfeit all our earthly treasures and live in a monastary. but i know that i need to start loving people like jesus does. no bias, no prejudice. there's no good reason to not respect someone enough to show them jesus. we shouldn't save that for sundays. i need to start living a life that reflects the love that i've been shown. i have the perfect example.
praying for patience
NCR
posted by ncreeves at
10:50 PM
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