Our Daily Bread
February 8,
2010
In Praise Of
Slowness
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2 Peter 3:1-9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as
some count slackness. —2 Peter 3:9
If there were a contest for most popular virtue, I suspect that
“fast” would beat “best.” Many parts of the world seem to be
obsessed with speed. The “fast” craze, however, is getting us
nowhere—fast.
“The time has come to challenge our obsession with doing
everything more quickly,” says Carl Honoré in his book
In Praise of Slowness. “Speed is not always the best
policy.”
According to the Bible, he’s right. Peter warned that in the last
days people would doubt God because it seems He is slow (“slack”) in
fulfilling His promise to return. Peter pointed out, however, that
this seeming slowness is a good thing. God is actually demonstrating
His patience by giving people more time to repent (2 Peter 3:9), and
also being true to His character, as in patient or slow to anger
(Ex. 34:6).
We too must be slow to become angry—and slow to speak (James
1:19). According to James, “quickness” is reserved for our ears.
We’re supposed to be quick to listen. Think about how much trouble
we could avoid if we learned to listen—really listen, not just stop
talking—before we speak.
In our rush to meet goals and deadlines, let’s remember to speed
up our listening and to slow down our tempers and our tongues.
—Julie Ackerman Link
Dear heart, let perfect patience be thy goal;
It is the way
earth’s noblest souls have trod.
’Tis just a calm adjustment of
the soul
In all things to the perfect will of God. —Hayward
When you’re tempted to lose patience with another, think how
patient God has been with you.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version.
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All
rights reserved.
