“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near” (James 5:7-8).
The writer of Hebrews made a telling argument for our patience. “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (Hebrews 6:11-12).
Farming is a perfect example of the need for patience. It is dependent on weather that is beyond a farmer’s control. It involves many days of little physical evidence that something is happening. Just observing a farm where a crop has been planted provides evidence that seed doesn’t become a full-grown plant immediately. Yet, the harvest comes if we are patient. The problem with many of us is that we plant the seed and then grow impatient if we don’t see immediate results. James reminds us that waiting is often the key to fruitfulness.
“Stand firm” offers an interesting idea. The Greek word is “sterizo.” It is familiar to us as a root for our word “steroids.” James not only asks us to be patient, but he suggests something like patience on steroids. We can stand firm in our patience because we know that there will be a harvest. As Hebrews points out we will “inherit what has been promised.” As difficult as it may be to wait we have the assurance that we will not be disappointed. God is trustworthy.
