From the Chaplains

Is Patience a Virtue?

This week during Boarders’ Chapel we took time to think about the saying, ‘patience is a virtue’.

In the spirit of honesty, I am uncomfortable with this saying because I am known as reasonably ‘impatient’ by my friends and family. I am also aware that Jesus could have been described as ‘impatient’ during his short life.  

He moved quickly from place to place.

He regularly asked provocative questions of those in authority.

He observes things and acts quickly to bring justice and healing to those in need.

He even famously, and seemingly impulsively walked into the temple and threw over the tables of the money changers. (Matthew 21.12-13 & Mark 11. 15-18).

So, it really surprised that the saying has its origins in Christian Scripture.  

Patience is one of the ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ described by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians.

‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.’  Galatians 5:22b-23

The early Christian church referred to these ‘fruits of the spirit’ as ‘virtues’ and eventually, through poetry, the truism ‘patience is a virtue’ became part of common language.

So, why Jesus was seemingly often ‘impatient’ when the early church believed that ‘patience as a virtue’?

The answer is simply that ‘patience’ and ‘impatient’ are not opposites.

When we look more closely at the scripture, we find that patience is the mindfulness behind the action. You can ultimately be ‘impatient’ whilst demonstrating patience because your ‘impatience’ is the result of patient attention.

You can think of this in a similar way to the way that emotions are depicted in the Inside Out movies. The emotions influence Riley’s actions but are not actions of themselves.

Using the example of Jesus turning over the tables, ultimately Jesus was impatient because he had patiently quickly observed that the temple system was no longer placing God’s love at the center of their life together. Trade had taken priority. There are multiple examples of this in the scripture. Psalm 40 is a great example. In this psalm the psalmist continues to deal with terrible circumstances whilst patiently waiting for God. It is their patient approach that helps them to keep going, despite adversity. The story of the Woman at the Well found in John 4  is another example of Jesus ‘patient’ mindfulness. Jesus sees, hears, affirms and brings hope to someone who had been to often overlooked and disparaged.

I encourage you to think of Patience differently, remembering that it is a mindset or emotion, rather than an action. Embody patience and bring attention, care, thoughtfulness, intentionality to your every day.

Reverend Danielle Hemsworth-Smith

College Chaplain