Be Patient With Everyone
What does patience look like?
Verse of the Day
“Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.”
Today’s Devotional
One of the things we could probably all agree on is the fact that there are people with whom it is a struggle to behave in all the ways the Bible instructs. Or is it just me? What we might not agree on is the kinds of people who test our patience. For you, the lazy people might really bother you and I might have compassion for them. For me, the timid people might really irritate me but they don’t bother you at all.
Let’s start by looking at the fact that this verse was directed at all the members of the Thessalonian church, not just the leaders. That means that everyone in a body of believers has a responsibility to help minister to other members of the family.
Under the umbrella of “be patient with everyone”, we see some specific instructions. We are to warn some, encourage some, and take care of others. While doing all of this, we are to be patient with all of them. Here’s what I learn from that: while I have a responsibility to do and say what I can to help others, I am called to accept that not all of us are the same, much less in the same place spiritually. Also, I cannot know if someone is lazy, timid, or weak if I am not actively involved with the family of believers.
To give you an example of how someone followed these instructions, let me tell you the story of my friend. Let’s call her Anne. Anne was struggling with stress and having a lot going on in her life that was making her feel overwhelmed. Anne had a conversation with another friend, who we will call Jennifer. First, Jennifer asked Anne what all was going on, and she listened with interest. Then she asked Anne a question. “How often are you reading your Bible?” Anne admitted that she was so busy that she really wasn’t spending any time in the Word. Jennifer then pointed out that the Word is a source of power. It connects us to God, who IS power. The Word reminds us of our identity and purpose. Jennifer then gave Anne this advice, “I know adding Bible reading and quiet time to your schedule feels like adding one more thing to an already overwhelming list. But that one thing, if done regularly, will enable you to handle everything else with much more strength. If we are told to seek God first and then He takes care of everything else, then doing that seems like your best solution.”
Not taking the time to regularly connect with God and His word is laziness. Or misplaced priorities. Feeling like the problems and to-do lists of our world are overwhelming might be considered timid, since the power that is in us is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. And perhaps in our weakness, we fall prey to fear, doubt, stress, and worry. Jennifer gave Anne some wise counsel that aligns with today’s verse. And no matter whether Anne followed the advice or not, Jennifer loved her friend and sister in Christ. That’s what patience looks like.
I wish I could say that I always heeded the warnings I’d been given. Or was buoyed up by the encouragement. Or appreciated the care and concern others have shown for me. I have not. I wish I could say that I am patient with everyone, but I am not. But today, in my constant prayer to be teachable, I seek ways to follow these instructions on the best ways to love my fellow believers.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How easy is it for you to be patient with other believers?
Think of an example of each scenario: laziness, being timid, and weakness? Where do you see those in your life? How has another believer helped you in these areas?
What warning have you heeded? Which ones did you dismiss? What was the outcome?
Who could you encourage today?
How can you actively participate in God’s family of believers?
How does God’s patience with you help you be patient with others?