I guess you heard about the man
who prayed, “Lord, please give me patience, and would You please hurry before I
hurt someone?”
Putting up with people is not
always easy; and it’s often our lack of patience with others that causes many
conflicts, and can damage the cause of Christ.
According to a traditional Hebrew
story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he saw an old man,
weary from age and journey, coming toward him. Abraham rushed out, greeted him,
and then invited him into his tent. There he washed the old man's feet and gave
him food and drink.
The old man immediately began
eating without saying any prayer or blessing. So Abraham asked him, "Don't
you worship God?"
The old traveler replied, "I
worship fire only and reverence no other god."
When he heard this, Abraham became
incensed, grabbed the old man by the shoulders, and threw him out of his tent
into the cold night air.
When the old man had departed, God
called to his friend Abraham and asked where the stranger was. Abraham replied,
"I forced him out because he did not worship you."
God answered, "I have
suffered him these eighty years although he dishonors me. Could you not endure
him one night?"
There is a caution here for us all
to put up with people;
✞ Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
