Point; and Have Patience
by John Fischer
One of our regular readers is a seventy something granddad that occasionally responds to me via email. This last week my “soccer devotionals” recalled to him his own experiences watching his kids and grandkids performing in various athletic programs, one of them being T-ball, that first experience children have with baseball, hitting the ball off a “T” and hopefully running to the right base while the other team tries to gather up the ball and get it to first base, or second, or third, or what-the-heck throw home just in case we missed the runner everywhere else.
He remarked on how much fun it was to watch the excitement of the kids, but the part he felt was most important to see was the patience shown those little ones by their coaches. “We all need to be able to show that kind of patience with individuals seeking their way to Christ” he wrote. “Helping to point the direction of the goal can be very helpful to the young Christian.”
This, in fact, is an excellent way to express our mission in the world as those who point the way to Christ. When you consider we are working in tandem with the Holy Spirit, you realize we don't have to do everything, teach everything, correct everything, solve everything, or save everybody. Most of the time, we simply point the way.
Come to think of it, our kindergarten soccer players never really learned how to pass the ball to a teammate. They never learned you could hit the ball with your head. They don't know a thing about “offsides,” offensive or defensive positions, or what a goalie is. We just pointed them to the goal and told them to kick the ball in that direction. That was it. They will learn the rest in time, and they will learn at their own pace. Some will get it faster than others. Some won't get it at all.
And what does this require of us? Granddad said, “Patience.” He's right. We can't force anybody to believe. Can't push them closer to the goal. As parents, we're not even allowed on the field. It's the kids' thing. They have to get it themselves. Game after game. Practice after practice. And suddenly, the light goes on. They get it, and they start initiating their own search. They become impassioned about God and the truth, and we didn't create it, we just pointed them in the right direction. (And probably prayed a whole lot.)
We point; and have patience. Point; and have patience. That's pretty much it.
From: Purpose-Driven Life Daily Devotionals
Date: Nov. 22, 2005
Patience... Siguro ito na iyong pinakamatagal na struggle ko sa Christian life ko. At hanggang ngayon siguro. Hehehe. Alam na ni God yun. But he sustains me kapag nakakaramdam na talaga ako ng pagkainip...saan? Sa pagsasakatuparan ng lahat ng plans nya sa aking beautiful life... :D Well... yeah.. I am impatient most of the time... but I know He sustains me.
And believe me...lahat ng ng pinag-pray ko..kahit di man lahat yun natupad... ok lang... Because I learned a lot from those "waiting times". At higit sa lahat my faith grows stronger... In short... Patience made me a better person... :)
by John Fischer
One of our regular readers is a seventy something granddad that occasionally responds to me via email. This last week my “soccer devotionals” recalled to him his own experiences watching his kids and grandkids performing in various athletic programs, one of them being T-ball, that first experience children have with baseball, hitting the ball off a “T” and hopefully running to the right base while the other team tries to gather up the ball and get it to first base, or second, or third, or what-the-heck throw home just in case we missed the runner everywhere else.
He remarked on how much fun it was to watch the excitement of the kids, but the part he felt was most important to see was the patience shown those little ones by their coaches. “We all need to be able to show that kind of patience with individuals seeking their way to Christ” he wrote. “Helping to point the direction of the goal can be very helpful to the young Christian.”
This, in fact, is an excellent way to express our mission in the world as those who point the way to Christ. When you consider we are working in tandem with the Holy Spirit, you realize we don't have to do everything, teach everything, correct everything, solve everything, or save everybody. Most of the time, we simply point the way.
Come to think of it, our kindergarten soccer players never really learned how to pass the ball to a teammate. They never learned you could hit the ball with your head. They don't know a thing about “offsides,” offensive or defensive positions, or what a goalie is. We just pointed them to the goal and told them to kick the ball in that direction. That was it. They will learn the rest in time, and they will learn at their own pace. Some will get it faster than others. Some won't get it at all.
And what does this require of us? Granddad said, “Patience.” He's right. We can't force anybody to believe. Can't push them closer to the goal. As parents, we're not even allowed on the field. It's the kids' thing. They have to get it themselves. Game after game. Practice after practice. And suddenly, the light goes on. They get it, and they start initiating their own search. They become impassioned about God and the truth, and we didn't create it, we just pointed them in the right direction. (And probably prayed a whole lot.)
We point; and have patience. Point; and have patience. That's pretty much it.
From: Purpose-Driven Life Daily Devotionals
Date: Nov. 22, 2005
Patience... Siguro ito na iyong pinakamatagal na struggle ko sa Christian life ko. At hanggang ngayon siguro. Hehehe. Alam na ni God yun. But he sustains me kapag nakakaramdam na talaga ako ng pagkainip...saan? Sa pagsasakatuparan ng lahat ng plans nya sa aking beautiful life... :D Well... yeah.. I am impatient most of the time... but I know He sustains me.
And believe me...lahat ng ng pinag-pray ko..kahit di man lahat yun natupad... ok lang... Because I learned a lot from those "waiting times". At higit sa lahat my faith grows stronger... In short... Patience made me a better person... :)
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