We talk about patience in our society, but in many ways, we've forgotten what it really means. In the age of computers, instant messaging, cell phones, and microwave ovens, being patient means that we've only got to wait a couple of minutes. We forget, then, sometimes that God is not a microwave oven and He doesn't have a cell phone. We can instant message Him through prayer, but the response doesn't pop up on a computer screen for you to immediately read. We can't expect to see results in the next thirty seconds.
James has come full circle in his letter. He's right back to the topics that he started with: patience and perseverance. Don't give up on the hope of riches in heaven just to collect them now. Don't give up on the Lord's return just because you haven't seen Him yet. We must persevere for the same reason that the crops stay in the ground for so long before producing fruit. It's about maturity.
Perseverance and patience are a part of growing up in Christ, and we must endure them for the sake of producing fruit. The crops don't grow any faster than they should. They don't produce fruit until they are mature. And they don't blame the farmer because things are moving slowly. The crops understand, maybe better than us, that that is just the natural course.
We tend to want to be mature now. We want to produce fruit now. We want to have riches now. We want to be there now. The difference between us and the crops is that we often don't realize when we're not ready, and we blame the farmer (God) for the fact that we are immature. It's not His fault. It's not anyone's fault. It's a process that must be completed.
Don't be tempted to try to take shortcuts. It seems like you can have all you want now through money, clothes, and other worldly things, but at what cost? Is it really worth trading your relationship with Christ?
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