Dear one,
“The ruthless elimination of hurry.”
Although I had heard these words previously, their truth rang more deeply within me, when a good friend redirected me to their import. That is, even though I’m a quiet introvert, sometimes characterized as “patient,” the reality is I’m a “good” American: I fill my calendar with one event, one meeting, one conversation after another, so that I am constantly pushing to meet the next scheduled moment—until my body says: “Enough.” With that declaration, typically I find myself facing some sickness or physical pain.
When growing up in the 1960s, I learned that “keeping up with the Joneses” meant having a new home or car or marvelous vacation—and this comparison is still operative. But the more prevalent comparison, I think, is having a calendar so filled with activities, events, and engagements that weariness is a badge of honor and “I’m sorry to be late” is often a sign of presumed importance.
One of the benefits of being a pastor is the opportunity to reflect upon life, and then to share those reflections with others. Thus, upon many occasions I have drawn attention to the word μακροθυμία (macro-thumia) which can rightly be translated either as “patience” or “long-suffering.”[1] Embedded within the word μακροθυμία is the idea of time, that is, a length (macro) of time. Thus patience often requires time, a “long” time. Moreover, such patience implies “heat” (thumos) or “passion” or suffering over a length of time. In this regard, the patient person is one who conveys: “I have all the time in the world,” whereas the impatient person conveys: “Hurry up—I need to move on.”
“The ruthless elimination of hurry.”
As I have reflected upon the word μακροθυμία or “long-suffering,” I know no better example of patience than Jesus. So very characteristic of His life and ministry is the frequency with which He was interrupted; many of His finest teaching moments occurred as the needs of others redirected His words and actions. For instance, the paralytic who was lowered to His feet, clearly interrupted the flow of His teaching; and yet, from that interruption, Jesus cared for the paralytic, affirmed the faith of his friends, and declared and demonstrated His power to forgive, all within the presence of the religious leaders and the crowd gathered about Him (Mark 2:1-12).
In contrast to Jesus were His disciples: as they and He drew nearer to Jerusalem and the momentous events about to unfold there, they sought to “leverage” His time. He was too important to be sidetracked, and so they prevented the children from coming to Him. He however would have none of their “leveraging.” After rebuking them, He said: “Let the children come unto me, do not stop them, for of such is the Kingdom of God” (Mark 10:13-16).
Jesus was always present—always present to His Father and to those about Him. He lived “the ruthless elimination of hurry.”
Still learning,
Stan
[1] The Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian Literature, Danker (ed.), (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2002), p. 612.