our daily journey: Slow Boil

Friday, November 16, 2012

It’s ironic that superstar chef Gordon Ramsay doesn’t take long to reach full boil. If he deems someone isn’t taking his sage advice on how to use sage or cilantro, he goes ballistic. His meltdowns on the show Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares are legendary. Gordon could definitely use some of the “seasoning” that the apostle Paul wrote about in Colossians 3.

Paul encouraged his readers to “put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you” (v.5). Among other virtues for them to pursue, the former persecutor of Christians lifted up patience. He then wrote, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (v.13).

All of the godly virtues flow from love. And what does Paul say that love entails? “Love is patient and kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4). Max Lucado writes, “The Greek word used here for patience is a descriptive one. It figuratively means “taking a long time to boil.” Think about a pot of boiling water. What factors determine the speed at which it boils? The size of the stove? No. The pot? The utensil may have an influence, but the primary factor is the intensity of the flame. Water boils quickly when the flame is high. It boils slowly when the flame is low. Patience ‘keeps the burner down’ ” (from A Love Worth Giving).

When we live out a “slow boil” patience before others, Paul says that we’re truly exhibiting the recipe for “love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14).

What causes you to lose your patience? How can seeing others through God’s loving eyes help you to turn down the burner?

Let’s live loving, patient lives—showing others our new nature in Jesus and the fact that we’re becoming more and more like Him (v.10). —Tom Felten

Read: Colossians 3:1-15
Love is patient and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4).

More: Read Psalm 37:7-9 and consider why it’s so important for us to wait patiently for God to act.

Next: How are patience and love linked? What will help you to become a more patient person?