“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.”
(Eph. 5:1)
As followers of our God one of those footprints we are to step into is His precious attribute of longsuffering. It is, what I like to refer to as a reversible word. Like the so-called archaic “careful,” as found in Phil. 4:6. When turned around it reads full of care, simple and not so outdated. And so it is with longsuffering, when the last become first we read, suffer-long. With some people and situations we’re to be in it for the long haul.
Although we shall never fit into our Father’s shoes, but as children often do, we should still put our small feet into them and at least try to emulate our Father in this respect. Throughout scripture we read of God’s longsuffering. One of my favorites is found in Psa. 86:15, “ But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Thus it is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22).
I am ashamed when I think how His tender soul suffers with the likes of me; my sins, failures, shortcomings, etc. And how I am a clockwatcher when it comes to the lives of others; and events. I think some of us need to put on a new suit of clothes. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved...longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another...even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
Mark Twain said, “Clothes make the man.” This is especially true of the scripture quoted above.
An Old Disciple
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