PATIENCE

     She came, uninvited, and lived in our back yard. She took up
residence under the shop. She would accept our food only when she
heard the back door close. Because she was afraid of us, I called
her "Fraidy."
     I have never been fond of cats, but when she killed a rat or
two, she endeared herself to me. But, I learned from Fraidy -- and
was simply amazed at her patience. I even envied her, because I am
so impatient. Watching from my kitchen window, I could see her stalk
her prey -- usually a black bird. She put her body in a front --
slant -- position and would literally freeze. Up went a paw to mid
air -- stop --freeze -- the bird never noticed she moved -- freeze -
- put the paw down -- freeze -- raise the other paw to mid air --
freeze. Amazing! On and on she repeated this procedure, one foot at
a time perhaps for ten minutes before she was close enough to lunge.
Often she was unsuccessful and I saw the bird fly away. Fraidy never
gave up, but I didn't have the patience to watch any longer. When I
saw her with black feathers in her mouth, I knew she had lunch.
     Now, in 21st century America, we have "instant" replay, instant
food and quick-fix everything. We know very little about patience,
and we need it! We need it at home, we need it in the church, we
need it even as we wait in a check-out lane and on the freeway.
     "Consider my servant Job," God said. One of Job's virtues was
patience. "And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to
temperance PATIENCE; and to patience godliness; and to godliness
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (love)" (2
Peter 1:5-7).  Patience is a virtue that we all need to cultivate.
     ---Jack Thompson, preacher for the White Park church of Christ.

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