One-minute read.
Makrothymeō means “to exhibit internal and external control in a difficult circumstance, which control could exhibit itself by delaying an action.”1 Patience, defined in its original Greek word, sums it up nicely, controlling our emotions and reactions while under pressure. Four words on a plaque, hanging in the hallway of Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, NY, home of the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament, say it another way. “Pressure is a privilege.” Billy Jean King’s words come from a lifetime of competitive play at the highest level. Paul’s words, written to the Corinthians, come from another pro, one who followed Jesus’ teachings better than most.
Loving others for God requires patience. Throughout a lifetime, practicing self-control under challenging circumstances will occur frequently. From constraining your words in a heated moment, to dominating your facial features to keep them from non-verbally communicating your thoughts, every day the Lord gives us a chance to exercise and build our patience muscle. Pressure is a privilege we get to experience as we strengthen our patience muscle and learn to love others.
Love requires action, and patience requires control. Applying the greatest commandment, love God and others, to our lives transforms us like nothing else. Only with Christ can we love others for the Savior.
Journal Question:
What opportunities does God give you to practice patience?
Random Act of Kindness:
Who can you have patience with today that you haven’t before?
- NIV Exhaustive Concordance Dictionary. Copyright © 2015 by Zondervan. ↩︎
