Patience

I've come to the realization over the past few weeks that we are part of a society that has lost our ability to be patient. We are able to get anything we want 24/7. Stores are always open for us to get exactly what we want. We can always turn to the Internet for information at the click of a mouse. We can't stand the idea of waiting in line. We are willing to pay extra to get things faster. We simply have lost any sense of patience.

Just yesterday I was driving down the road and approached an intersection. The light was green in my direction so I was proceeding when someone from the cross-street decided to pull out in front of me. As if somehow the 10 seconds it was going to take for me to cross through the intersection was going to impede this person from getting to work (or wherever they were headed) on time. To make matters worse this person pulled out slowly and proceeded down the road slowly (causing me to slow down) which of course frustrated me and made me realize my own impatience! I had places to be (I really was running a little late to get to a meeting ... but that was MY fault). But I thought about the fact that this person couldn't wait at their red light for their turn. It's because we think we're more important than everyone around us.

In the church year we are in the midst of the Advent season. It is a season of preparation and anticipation. It is a season that is anti everything in our society. Our society tells us we can have it all RIGHT NOW and in Advent we learn we have to wait and anticipate. And waiting is good for us. It gives us time to think and reflect. It gives us time to appreciate what we will experience. When we look forward to something we get excited about. When we anticipate something we tell others about it. When we are patient we get rewarded. And Advent is a season of promise that never disappoints. Every year at the end of Advent we celebrate Christmas ... We wait for Jesus to come and guess what ... HE DOES!

So, let's wait ... let's be patient ... let's anticipate what is to come ... then when it does, let's party like it's 1999! (or something like that).