A certain judge was constantly annoyed by the sneering remarks of a certain “wise cracking” and discourteous attorney. Instead of cracking down on the lawyer and silencing him, the judge would only smile and chew his pencil until people wondered at his patience.

At a dinner someone asked him, “Judge, why don’t you slap down that wise guy lawyer?” The judge laid down his knife and fork and resting his chin on his hands said, “Up in our town their lives a widow who has a dog which whenever the moon shines, goes out and barks all night at the moon.” Then the judge quietly resumed eating.

One of the company asked, “But judge, what about the dog and the moon?” And he replied. “Oh, well the moon just kept right on shining!” Oh, for grace today to keep on shining as “God’s chosen ones” amidst all the barking dogs.

Patience. Emerson wrote, “A man is a hero, not because he is braver than anyone else, but because he is brave for ten minutes longer.” Leonardo Da Vinci painted that masterpiece The Last Supper. He is quoted as having said, “When I paused longest, I make the most telling strokes with my brush.” Patience is power in reserve. Consider the patience of Job. He had a spiritual strength in reserve which saw him through fiery trials.

Patience is hope biding its time, it is hope in action, it is like a catalyst in chemistry which starts action in other elements but itself is unaffected. Patience is never something that embalms us; it is that which alerts us to possibilities ahead.

Patience is a wonderful gift from God of which we all need a full measure. Lack of patience can bring about many ills. Impatience in waiting to hear someone out in their thoughts can lead to missed opportunities to learn something new. Impatience in listening to a child struggling excitedly to tell you about their day or special experience can lead to missing a most precious and sacred time with the little one.

Impatience with your spouse can serve to add another brick to the wall that distances emotionally and constrains the fruit of open sharing and honest thought.

As “God’s chosen ones,” we are called to a different way of living. We are to live in a manner that more closely reflects a “humanity-in-the-image-of-God,” not a humanity that seeks one’s own desires and purposes. As “God’s chosen ones,” we surrender our selves to the work of God’s Spirit that fills us with a calmness of heart and mind that translates to a capacity for patience, a desire for patience. When we forget this calling – or selectively decide to follow our own path of selfishness – patience often flies out the window; we become self-righteous and the fruit produced is impatience and anger and hurt feelings.

The story of the judge and the dog and the moon is a good one. As “God’s chosen ones,” by the grace and mercy of God, we keep shining right back with patience at the barking that wails around us.

We know that God’s Spirit is at work in us. That divine presence reminds us that we are “chosen ones” and we are to act as such. There is power in that truth and responsibility. That power is reflected through our patience.

Patience is power in reserve. Spend that reserve well with love and care through your words and actions.

Pastor Randy