Leadership Through LoveSample

As 1 Corinthians 13 begins to describe what love looks like, the first trait God chose was patience. For us to experience success in the other 15 traits, it is going to require a great deal of patience. Unfortunately, in a society that wants everything now, patience is becoming harder and harder to exhibit in our lives. The King James Version describes patience as "long-suffering". The reason "patience is a virtue", but not something we enjoy pursuing in our daily life, is because it requires suffering. 

We live in a broken world with sinful people who will continually fall short of our expectations, and God calls us to "suffer long" with them. This is why powerful leadership is so hard to find and when we do it's so inspiring. When God puts us in a position of leadership over people, it will require a great deal of patience. 

The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4 connects patience to the calling God put on your life, when he called you to a life of Christianity. He then explains that the reason is because our patience is what keeps us unified. Great leaders come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing they consistently do is keep unity in their team/home/office/company. 

Patience isn't a "one-hit fight" that we can accomplish this week as we make it a focused priority. It is a marathon of laying down our frustration, bitterness, and impatience for the goal of seeing the people in our life succeed. 

As you strive to "suffer long" in your relationships, remember how patient God continues to be with you.