be patient with everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:14d

Ooo. That’s a tough one, isn’t it? With everyone? How is that even possible?

As we all know, patience isn’t just plopped down on your lap. It comes through interaction with people, and often people you don’t get along with. It comes because we’re in a hurry and people slow us down. In other words, we’re in a hurry to do the things we want. It’s about us.

Being patient means you are focused on others and their timeframe. In traffic, it’s letting two cars pull in ahead of you. In family, it’s letting the four-year-old count off one by one the dots on the dice. At work it’s letting the other guy have his say before you chime in. Again, it’s all about the other person.

We also know that patience can be learned, even if it’s little by little.

Start with your family and friends. If you can’t be patient with them, it’ll be difficult to be patient with others.