Patience Grows as We Serve Others
OPENING PRAYER:
Dear Lord, please help me to always be patient and kind to the people I encounter each day. Please help me to reflect you in all my daily interactions.
READ:
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth…” 2 Timothy 2:24-25 (NIV)
REFLECT:
The day this devotional will become available will be the last day of school where I am a teacher. The final weeks and days of a school year are generally a time of tested patience, but this year has put all the other years to shame. Whether it’s fighting the losing(lost) battle to get kids to wear their masks even close to properly or the fact that I feel like I’ve taught three years worth of school in the span of one, kindness and gentle instruction with no resentment feels hard to come by. It would be easy in my natural human brokenness to lash out at students whenever I feel hurt or burdened. Fortunately, I’ve had a great teacher show me how to treat others when circumstances are challenging: Jesus.
As a follower of Christ, I have first-hand experience learning from the greatest teacher ever. Among the many things he has taught me, loving God with all my heart is most important, but loving others as myself is a close second. (Matthew 22:36-40) As difficult as it may be to relate positively to my students right now, I can follow Jesus’ example by meeting each student with kindness and love no matter the circumstances. Doing so enables me to shine the light of Jesus wherever I go, and hopefully that contributes to this world being a little bit better place to be.
APPLY:
Are you frustrated or challenged by a current relationship with someone, maybe a family member or co-worker? If so, try following Paul’s advice in 2 Timothy. Express your concerns kindly and humbly and then rely on God to do the rest.
CLOSING PRAYER:
God of the waiting,
Teach us to embody patience,
never rushing into action without your signal.
You have created a world steeped in patience;
nature follows its rhythms without haste.
May we learn from this design,
stopping to pause and wonder and praise.
When our hearts are weary from waiting,
remind us that we do not wait alone for Christ dwells in us.
Amen.