Patience
Submitted by Wayne on Tue, 2008-04-15 09:29.
Holiness | Stupidity
We're not to tolerate stupidity and foolishness. How are these juxtaposed with patience? Proverbs 19:11 clearly says patience is a good thing, as does Galatians 5:22. Isn't being patient just the opposite of intolerance of folly? If Scripture does not contradict itself (an axiom), how, then, are we to resolve these two commands which superficially appear to contradict each other? I think the answer lies in loving the sinner while hating the sin.
How often have people been receptive to an exploration of their stupidity during their act of stupidity? I dare say, almost never. It behooves us, then, to exercise patience during the stupidity, returning (when/if feasible) to visit the stupid act later when the offender is receptive to seeking truth. So, it's not that intolerance of folly and yet patience of the same are contradictory, because they are to occur at different times with different goals. Love the sinner now, during the act of stupidity, when he is unable to be reached; hate the sin later, so to speak, when he may be receptive to conviction.
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My thorn
I struggle with patience daily. You may even consider this topic to be my thorn in my flesh. For reasons I'd rather not go into, I am unusually sensitive to stupidity, most especially my own, such that my patience is tested more than would otherwise be expected. As a result, patience is a constant struggle for me; I desire to improve this weakness of mine.
At first glance, it would seem the Lord just needs to remove the reasons for my sensitivity. However, these unspoken reasons are themselves blessings. Stupidity-sensitivity is just an unfortunate side-effect of these blessings, and I wouldn't want to give them up just because of a side-effect. Besides, they're used in the Lord's service. I'm sure there's just another blessing the Lord, like a doctor, can prescribe me to counteract the side-effect. In fact, He does indeed help me endure this thorn--and He diminishes the resultant exhibition of it--even though He simultaneously blesses me with the very causes of my impatience side-effect.
I suppose it's possible that this thorn will always be with me, even as my public exhibition of it wanes. I pray this is not so and that He someday removes this thorn from me, but I am content knowing He helps me endure it.