“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved… the Lord is patient toward you” (2 Peter 3:9).

Is there anyone here this morning who cannot benefit from greater patience? I know I can. In our “hurry up” world we frequently find ourselves in situations when our patience is stretched. It happens while driving, in the check-out line, with our kids, at work, when depending on others for help, and on and on. No doubt, we regularly find ourselves in circumstances when greater patience is needed. It’s a daily occurrence, is it not?

With that in mind, the words of Peter convicted me greatly this past week. Simply put, God has been, and continues to be, incredibly patient with me. He sees my shortcomings and struggles. Yet he never gives up, because in Peter’s words, “The Lord is patient towards you.”

In that light, I wonder if you’ve ever stopped to consider the specific areas in your life in which God has demonstrated his patience with you. Each of us can identify (likely in an instant) the character issues we struggle with. Perhaps for some of us, the main issue we struggle with is our lack of patience. Yet when we consider God’s patience toward us, how dare we be impatient with others? This is a very practical matter for each of us to consider. In that light, here’s what I suggest you do.

Each time you feel impatient toward others, would you be intentional in bringing to mind an area in your life where God continues to be patient with you? For example, the next time your son or daughter “tries your patience,” thereby making you frustrated or angry, simply think of the last time you “messed up” and how God demonstrated his patience toward you. The next time you choose the wrong line in the supermarket, the slow moving line, recall how long God waited for you to sense his call to return to daily prayer and Bible reading. The next time something unexpected interrupts what you planned on, think of the many times you pulled something unexpected, necessitating God’s ongoing patience and longsuffering toward you.

Think of it this way. God’s patience toward us is intended for us to demonstrate the same attitude toward others. In other words, our impatience toward others is a sure sign that we’ve lost sight of God’s patience toward us. This is a tough one for us to work on. But I believe we can grow in our patience as we intentionally recall that “The Lord is patient toward you.” Start now, will you?

“What do you want me to do for you?” (Matthew 20:32)
 
My guess is that at one time or another each of us has had a clerk in a store or someone on the other end of the phone say something like this: “How may I help you?” Businesses must be customer friendly or else they lose business. While attending two different pastor conferences over the past two weeks, I spent a total of five nights in two different motels. Each went out of its way to determine if my needs were met. On more than one occasion, motel employees asked if there was anything they could do for me. That’s good customer service, is it not? That’s what makes the question I cited above very interesting. Let me set the context for you.

Jesus had just completed several rigorous days of healing, teaching, travelling and meeting with people. At this point in the narrative, there had been absolutely no break in his hectic schedule. In addition, he had just reminded the disciples of his impending death (for the third time). I’d say he had a lot on his mind, wouldn’t you?

Now on top of all that, he was on the verge of returning to Jerusalem, an event that would set in motion the circumstances surrounding the last few days of his life. At that precise moment, two blind men were setting along the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David.” They were rebuked by the crowd, only to cry out a second time, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David.” It was at that moment Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” You know their response. They said, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” The text tells us that “immediately they received their sight.”

As I’ve meditated on this passage, and Jesus’ response to the cries of the blind men, it struck me that meeting the needs of others, no matter what form it takes, rarely comes at a convenient time. How many times has someone asked for your assistance and, at least in your mind you’ve thought, “Not now-I can’t-I’m too busy-This is not a good time.” We’re all guilty of that, are we not?

Jesus’ response shows us that there’s never a time when busyness or inconvenience should prevent us from acting to serve others. Jesus himself said that “the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve.” Jesus consistently demonstrated a servant’s heart. He put the needs of others above his own, even to the point of going to the cross to help those who could never help themselves.

Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” No matter how busy or inconvenienced we may be, that’s not a bad question for us to ask of others. Would you agree?