The wise would say, patience is a virtue, but a lawyer would ask, patient with whom? Should one's patience be given to everyone equally? My mind is too tired or perhaps not sharp enough to argue the point logically but I will answer the second question from a personal perspective: no, because patience is not my virtue, but from the broadest perspective it ought to be given to all except one.
Let me explain. I do not find it to be a virtue to be patient with someone who cannot get his act together, who leaves loose ends in whatever he does, who creates new drama than actually playing his part, who drives so slowly that you end up waiting for yet another red traffic light, and on and on. Why? Because that someone is not considerate of others who might have to get somewhere, do something or see somebody at a particular time and that someone is hindering them with laziness, incompetence, selfishness or some other kind of human fallibility. The clock is always ticking, marking the passage of time, and it is merciless. So why should one be patient with those who are merciless in taking the time of others that cannot ever be returned?
Let's assume that the time we feel we have been robbed of can be given back miraculously, even with someone standing in our way, driving ever so slowly, making more work for us that we still accomplish what we had set out to accomplish in a timely manner and achieving the results we had expected to achieve. Then would we have wasted our time being frustrated, upset or stressed out by that someone? I think the answer would be in the affirmative.
Now think of a task that we need to complete within a specific time frame while being ever so conscious of the time that is ticking and ticking away. We would want to get it done and get it done well on time and if there is anyone that is in our way, slowing us down, we would not have the patience to deal with him in a kind or forgiving manner. I think that most will agree that that is what will likely happen.
For a moment, think of the biggest task that we all undertake: life. It is a task that is going to end at a specific time but we do not know when. At this point we might want to ask, what is the purpose of being impatient with all the little inconveniences [1] when we are required to be patient with not knowing what the future will hold or when we will die?
Looking at the big picture, we realize that the clock was ticking before our arrival and will continue ticking during our stay and within this period our task is simple in concept but virtually impossible to carry out: love, love everyone for his uniqueness, see God in each life that has been created, care about the weaknesses in each other and the lack of fortitude in battling Satan, care about our friends and loved ones who have at some point in their lives departed from or refused to approach God or have no interest in knowing God and to walk with each other toward God, one trying step at a time. With the enormous task that we each need to accomplish for the other unselfishly and lovingly given the mercilessness of the passage of time in the limited time that each of us has, is there still room for impatience? Perhaps with the one person none other than ourselves for not seeing what is important from what is not, for doing things that are futile, emptying the soul rather than feeding it, thereby serving Satan before our departure instead of God. At death's door, when our souls must answer the final call for takeoff, it might be too late to turn back from the Gate of Hell but for the grace of God.
[1] A day after this posting, Sunday, June 9, I was flippping the channels on TV and stopped at Joel Osteen's sermon on patience. His main point (which I already know but sometimes forget) is that delays that annoy us can sometimes be a blessing, saving us from being in a bad situation. On the flip side, which Joel Osteen did not mention, those inconveniences could put us in a better situation than the one we anticipated. In the same broadcast, Joel Osteen also mentioned that we should be patient when God does not answer our prayers, that we should accept our stations in life, that God has a better outcome for us, just not as soon as we would like and that the hardship and frustrations we experience currently prepare us for the outcome that God has for us in our future. Without a doubt I believe that even though I also believe in Free Will for Free Will can always override God's plan if we insist on having it our way. In short, Joel wants all of us to have complete faith in God and in God's timing, including delays that irk us, unanswered prayers that disappoint us greatly and hardships that we have to endure, and when we do, we would be at peace. I believe that 100 percent. Back to one of my themes: be thankful that we are here, in the flesh, that we were incarnated, knowing that there are countless number so souls that wants to incarnate, no matter how difficult or painful the time would be in the flesh, but nonetheless have to wait. Incarnation is the gift. Be the best that you can be is your gift back to God. Nothing else matters.
[1] A day after this posting, Sunday, June 9, I was flippping the channels on TV and stopped at Joel Osteen's sermon on patience. His main point (which I already know but sometimes forget) is that delays that annoy us can sometimes be a blessing, saving us from being in a bad situation. On the flip side, which Joel Osteen did not mention, those inconveniences could put us in a better situation than the one we anticipated. In the same broadcast, Joel Osteen also mentioned that we should be patient when God does not answer our prayers, that we should accept our stations in life, that God has a better outcome for us, just not as soon as we would like and that the hardship and frustrations we experience currently prepare us for the outcome that God has for us in our future. Without a doubt I believe that even though I also believe in Free Will for Free Will can always override God's plan if we insist on having it our way. In short, Joel wants all of us to have complete faith in God and in God's timing, including delays that irk us, unanswered prayers that disappoint us greatly and hardships that we have to endure, and when we do, we would be at peace. I believe that 100 percent. Back to one of my themes: be thankful that we are here, in the flesh, that we were incarnated, knowing that there are countless number so souls that wants to incarnate, no matter how difficult or painful the time would be in the flesh, but nonetheless have to wait. Incarnation is the gift. Be the best that you can be is your gift back to God. Nothing else matters.
No comments:
Post a Comment