“The end of a matter is better than it’s beginning, and patience is better than pride. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the laps of fools” (Eccl 7:8).
When I was five years old I planted a lima bean in the yard outside our big city apartment in hopes of growing a bean stalk like the one I had seen in Jack and the Bean Stalk. The next morning with the high hopes I hurried to see what progress had been made overnight. Seeing no vine, I dug the bean up, inspected it, replanted it and gave it some more water. I repeated this same routine for four days straight. On the fifth day when I dug the bean up and still saw no progress, I ended my dream project by stomping on the bean. Looking back on that experience through older eyes I see two sources of frustration that I need to guard against with myself and in leading others, unrealistic expectations and impatience. Even a great mission and a great plan can be thwarted by impatience. “Wait upon the Lord be strong and take heart wait upon the Lord” Ps 27:14 (By the way, He is never late.)
Written by Phil Hodges
