Donuts or Patience? Which one has the shortest shelf life at your house?
Patience is waiting with a smile. At least that is the version I teach my grandkids.
I have committed myself to pursue the most important goal of loving God and loving others first and most. God’s #1 Textbook begins that description with “love is patient…”
Patience! Do you ever forget to smile?
I was recently tested...again. I saw the humor but not sure I smiled.
Learning patience is a process which is more about direction than perfection.
But, what the jeepers? Why does it seem that everyone signed up to be God’s instruments of teaching me patience?
This session is about Donut Decisions and Patience. Why do they both seem to run out when most needed?
This will sound as if it is an exaggerated story. This really did happen the morning God knew I needed patience more than the donuts.
I recently stopped at Krispy Kreme to pick up some donuts for my grandkids. The decision was not too complicated. One dozen glazed, and one dozen chocolate covered glazed.
I arrived with the “Hot” sign flashing in the window. For donut beginners, the “Hot” sign means more than just fresh donuts. If you go inside, you will receive one free hot donut. If you remain in the drive-thru lane, you are required to add two extra hot donuts to your order for immediate personal enjoyment.
Only one car was ahead of me in the drive-thru lane. This would be a quick pick-up, resulting in an extremely popular surprise back home.
Somehow this convenient stop at the donut place with the “Hot” flashing sign turned into a glaze of frustration.
The lady in the only car ahead of me was obviously not in a hurry for donuts or any decision. I listened as the sound came from the speaker indicating the Krispy Kreme employee was waiting for her order.
When there was no reply by the customer, they told her to just order when ready. Long silence. Repeat, “Ready when you are.” Longer silence. “Please order when ready.“
Finally, the lady started an order; then canceled it. She restarted. Paused for what felt like twenty minutes. Added two specialty donuts. Subtracted two regular items. Then she abruptly canceled the entire order…again.
The lady began to ask questions about the menu. She deliberated and then placed a call on her cellphone for suggestions. I decided to back out and go inside for my order. However, that was no longer an option. By this time, I was blocked in the drive-through line. No way out and no way through! I was stuck!
I am not sure whom she called. It might have been her grandkids. Maybe it was her daughter or husband. Perhaps it was the fire station or her church class.
Maybe she called her priest to confess her insensitivity to holding up the other customers. Was she requesting an indulgence for her insatiable desire to order more donuts than could be eaten by the multitude of five thousand? Most of the church people I know just stuff their faces with donuts and ask for forgiveness in the next life.
I understand the desire to please. She wanted to get the order correct and to someone’s satisfaction.
Of course, I was patient. Love first. Love most. This was just a test. Donuts can wait.
Then the store turned off the “Hot” sign. Wait a minute!
I would wait more than another minute. The lady began to read the entire menu to the person on the other end of the call. The phone recipient asked her to read the entire menu…twice. A few items were added to her order. Another was withdrawn. One icing flavored was changed.
Is that all? “Yes. No! No! Wait.” She just spotted the picture with special patriotic donuts. She wanted some of them. She inquired as to what kinds were available. The picture had patriotic “sprinkles” or choice of colored glaze (“red, white, or blue”). Thankfully, our national flag has only three colors. The special offers also came in regular or chocolate, which added complications to each decision.
How long does it take to say, “One dozen glazed, and one dozen chocolate glazed, please”??? Apparently, much longer than I assumed.
I tried to imagine that the lady could have been my grandmother. I would definitely want others to show her patience and kindness. Then it dawned on me that I am now the age of my grandmother. Heavens to Betsy!
The dear lady canceled her order and started over. I texted the home team about the delay. We were more likely to have donuts for lunch rather than brunch.
I mentioned something about the “witch of the west” ordering for all her munchkins. Well, sorry. At least I did not call her the “Wicked Witch of the West.“
Oh, the agony of her dilemma. Back to the phone. She repeated the patriotic options as she pointed to each picture, as if the person on the other end of the cell call could see the multi-colored choices. Yes, she changed the order.
The driver behind me honked his horn and yelled at her, “Hey lady, there are other people waiting to get donuts!”
She leaned out her window and screamed at ME. “Be patient!“
I tried to smile.
Things took a turn for the worse when she arrived at the checkout window. I will spare the details. I asked for a second order of Patience.
Patience is an admired and respected virtue, until it needs to be practiced in our own lives. The gift card balance on my Patience often runs low and even out.
However, there is a separate gift card that came from heaven which has no limits. Yes, patience is a gift card from God. Whenever I choose to use it, patience waits with a smile.
No matter how long. No matter how many times.
I need to remember not to leave home without it.
There is one item that does not appear on any donut sign or restaurant menu. PATIENCE.
Does anyone else wish for a drive-thru where you could pick up one or two dozen minutes of patience? That would be very beneficial when your temperament sign is flashing “Hot.”
Or maybe a PATIENCE Gift Card whose balance could be renewed daily.
Love is patient. Patience means much more than just passively waiting. In fact, the #1 Textbook describes it as an aggressive activity of inner strength, often associated with running the race of life (Colossians 1:11; Hebrews 12:1).
Patience is also linked to the active words of perseverance and hope.
Perseverance is made up of two words, “Severe” refers to hard times. The “per” signifies “through” the severe times. Steadfastness under pressure. Endurance in trials and tests.
Hope is not wishful thinking, but rather a confident expectation of seeing all the goodness God has promised…somehow…someway…sometime.
God has promised to gift-card us with unlimited patience, perseverance, and hope (Romans 15:5). Why?
Patience, perseverance, and hope all deal with character development. God has promised to make me and you more like Jesus. He always loves first and loves most.
So, here is where the rubber hits the road, not with Goodyear tires, but in our lives.
Every stop light on the road of life is for character building in my life.
Every slow or misguided person on the road or stuck in the Krispy Kreme drive-thru has been placed there by God for character building in my life.
Every incompetent or inconvenient customer service representative was sent into my life for character building.
I fail to see it that way too often as the balance on my Patience gift card quickly evaporates.
Here is the lesson from the #1 Textbook (Romans 5:1-5). The tests will surely follow.
Because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us…we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient.
And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.
Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel His love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
JESUS LIVES IN US TO LEAD US TO OTHERS HE INTENDS TO LOVE WITH PATIENCE, PERSEVERANCE, AND HOPE THROUGH US.
Get ready for today’s test. Remind yourself, it is all about character building.
Rejoice at the red lights and ridiculous people in the drive-thru lanes who slow you down long enough to see the good God is doing in your life.
PATIENCE: It’s a no-brainer Love Test. Love is patient…all the time…every time.
Love First and Love Most. That is a decision. It is your choice, no matter what is on the other person’s menu. I wish I had learned that sooner in life.
POST NOTE: I offer one other option for donut selection. Self-Service. Just do what my granddaughter did when she was three. As I placed my order with the attendant, I realized Channing had disappeared. She suddenly reappeared from behind the donut display case carrying a pink sprinkled donut.
Self-Service.
Now if someone would just invent a Self-Service window for Patience…with no waiting... (and a sarcasm font).
I have to go now. The “Hot” sign is back on at Krispy Kreme. Gotta hurry…with a smile, of course!
EYES UP! LOVE YOU!
LOVE FIRST...LOVE MOST 