Patience

"Love is patient..." - 1 Corinthians 13:4a

Taking the risk of my offending my health conscience friends, can you actually have a real cake without eggs? Or real (by that I mean really good!) cookies without sugar? Certainly, when considering your secret family recipe or your mom’s best cake, there are essential ingredients that vary from recipe to recipe.  Meaning there are a variety of recipes that make a “good cake”, but when it comes to something better than a cake, like real love, the ingredient list isn’t open to improvisation.   

When the apostle Paul's heart and mind (through the Spirit’s inspiration) began considering the list of "love’s" ingredients, what came to the surface first was the Greek word “makrothymeō”…to be forbearing, long suffering, the ability to bear so suffering. I find that fascinating.  When any baker considers their favorite recipe, they immediately know what the essential ingredient is.  Patience is listed first among Paul’s essential ingredients of love.  As if to say, you can’t have real love without patience.  Patience, then, is the essence of love or worded another way, patience is love's aroma. And Paul, of all people, knew a thing or two about the patient love of Jesus,

“Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. . .But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life”.

1 Timothy 1:13, 16

 Jesus was the embodiment of love and patience. His divine patience was on display in many ways.  He told His mother it wasn't yet His time (John 2:4), He was patient with His first coming (Galatians 4:4) and at His crucifixion (1 Peter 2:23).  And for all those who know Him, He has been patient with sinners.  Christ’s love is displayed through perfect patience.  Consequently, where there is little patience, there is little love. Where patience is lacking, self-love is stacking! If Paul’s first notion of love was patience, then is patience the first notion of our love? Is it the chief ingredient of your love?

 When you consider areas of your life, or people, that “test your patience”, are you also considering the perfect patience that the Lord Jesus has extended you?  If not, consider the prayer below from one impatient person to another,

 “Father, please forgive me for loving others so slightly because I'm loving myself supremely. Short on patience? No! Short on love. Help my heart ruminate on the patient love you have given me in my sin past, present and future.  Like Paul, you have also made me an object to display to the world your perfect patience so that I might display your love to others. Amen”