40 Days Pondering the Fruit of the Spirit

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days PONDERING the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Day 15 |PATIENCE
PATIENCE

Proverbs 14:29
“Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.”
(NIV)

Have you ever dealt with someone who drives you a bit crazy? Maybe the way they talk, their mannerisms, what they say, or something else… but it drives you a little nuts?

Well, Solomon was no stranger to those kinds of conversations either and wrote this one down to hopefully help his son (and us too) in being PATIENT.

The opposite – at least in this verse – would be quick-tempered. And that person would be showing and exposing his “folly” as said here, or “foolishness” in another translation.
So, if this is one of the Fruit of the Spirit, what does that mean to us today?

It means that the Holy Spirit inside of us will provide this FRUIT when we need it. It means we don’t have to be controlled by our emotions and then let go a verbal assault on the person we are being challenged to be patient with.

I wonder what it was like 100 years ago in America. When things were slower, less technical, and less complex. Not that I would change places with any of them there (nor could I), but I wonder if they had fewer opportunities to draw on the fruit of PATIENCE than we do today.

Ever had a guy in front of you while waiting for the light to turn green who doesn’t move when it is green because he’s on his phone texting? Patience.

OR, you’re in the grocery store, need three things, and are in a hurry. You pick the shortest line, and then – the person in front of the person in front of you decides to write a check. Be patient. (And by the way, I give a quick double-tap of my horn to the texting guy. I’m not being hot-tempered, just giving a friendly nudge.)

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this fruit. I need it today as much as anyone. Amen.