Week 1: Incarnation

Incarnation and Patience

In today’s reading, Paul writes, “the grace of the Lord was poured out on me abundantly.” This is the hinge point for Paul’s life and the foundation for his ministry. Once he was a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent man (his words, not mine), but because God’s grace lavishly poured over him, he has been called into ministry. As Paul writes to encourage Timothy to stay faithful, he points back to his own narrative of God’s faithfulness. He doesn’t tell Timothy, “look how faithful I am despite my suffering.” Instead, he says, “look at the love and faith of Jesus!”

This is why Paul points so adamantly toward the Gospel in today's reading when he says, “here is a trustworthy saying that deserves acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst.”

Paul didn’t suddenly have a random thought come to mind that he couldn't help but share. Instead, he is digging a deeper foundation for what he is trying to get Timothy to understand about the Gospel. In doing so, he points to the incarnation of Jesus. Paul encourages Timothy to be Gospel formed. He points to Jesus entering the world for its salvation as the way of discipleship for Timothy’s current circumstance.

In the same way, we practice incarnation in our lives by enduring faithfully under challenging circumstances for the good of others. We enter into the lives of the poor and needy. We share a meal with the broken and contagious. We embrace the frail widow or pungent widower with a hug of incarnation.

How are we transformed through this incarnational practice? Well, Paul says that it is through the incarnation for the salvation of sinners that Jesus displays unlimited patience.

I can’t imagine I am the only person who struggles to be patient. I was recently in Walmart with a cart full of groceries for a soup I was making for church. I probably had about forty items, but most were repeating items, such as six cans of chicken broth. The cart looked full, but there weren’t many items. As always, I was running late. I tried to enter the completely empty self-checkout area and was vehemently stopped by the cashier overseeing that area.

“I’m sorry, but only 20 items or less are allowed.”

I looked at her in disbelief, having used this area less than a week ago with a full cart. I then glanced up and around. She cut me off before I could mutter a word of protest.

“Management hasn’t put up the signs yet. You can use one of the self-checkout stations with the long isles.”

There were three of them, and they were all in use.

I said, “I’ll be quick and headed in the same direction I had originally intended.”

She was adamant, “No, you won’t.”

So I waited in line for fourteen minutes (I timed it) while not one person used the self-checkout station. I was livid. I could not believe the anger and resentment boiling up in my body. I even got out my phone to call management at Walmart while standing in line, but I didn’t have the guts to make the call.

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. I’m begging for it in my life, but here at the line in Walmart, in this incarnational moment, I had so little patience. It’s in these little incarnational moments of our lives that the Spirit cultivates patience within us. How will I grow in patience if I’m never uncomfortable and annoyed?

As you practice incarnation this week, think about how God uses these practices to cultivate patience in your life.