Cinda King
March 5, 2021
Proverbs 15:18, NIV: “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”
A relative gave my husband a T-shirt a few years ago for his birthday that read “I’m not arguing; I’m only explaining why I’m right” and (only slightly joking) called it the King family motto. All of us, kids and pets included, could have worn that motto tattooed on our foreheads and probably saved a lot of time and wasted breath. Our family is homozygous dominant for the “strong belief in our own judgment” gene.
Proverbs 15:18 can be paraphrased as “Hot tempers cause arguments, but patience brings peace”. Over the years (from the terrible twos to teenagers to a year-long quarantine) I have prayed for patience so as to avoid the dreaded “because I said so” retort and the inevitable argument (i.e. “explanation”) that would follow. I thank God for the capacity to step back at least sometimes, take a deep breath and exercise patience. I need continual coaching and look to God for guidance and examples. If only I could be as patient and constant as Luna, our golden retriever, waiting for a treat after her walk with the unshakeable faith that her humans won’t forget.
Patience is like a muscle – it needs to be exercised and practiced regularly to avoid big issues like road rage and overheated rhetoric, and small issues like family quarrels and complaints. In this season of Lent, join me in asking God to help us exercise our patience “muscle” and bring greater peace to our lives. Help us to truly listen to others – what they say and do and why – and grant us the ability to stop explaining why we’re right.
Let us pray –
Dear God, thank you for helping me find and exercise my patience muscle. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
