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A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34 WEB

If you study Jesus in the gospels, His defining characteristics were love, compassion, grace, and wisdom. He was humble, kind, and He cared for the people. He touched the outcasts, and He ate with the sinners. He is rich in love. He told us to love one another, and by this people would know that we are truly His disciples.

I once read that patience is not our ability to wait, but our ability to keep a good attitude while we wait. To be slow to anger, loving, gracious, and compassionate, while waiting. Don't feel bad if you fail the patience test, for you are not the only one, I am still working on that one as well. When I am waiting in line, I begin to feel like my life-force is draining away. There are so many things that I need to be doing, instead of waiting.

One day we went shopping for supplies at Sam's Club during a long juice fast. Now fasting brings pressure that causes hidden things in you to come to the surface like a zit. When we got to the checkout lines, the one on the right had two people in it. One of the men there was buying for a restaurant and he had a long commercial flat cart with supplies stacked up about three feet high, at least 75 items, then there was a cart in front of him, and another cart joined behind him.

The other checkout line had one elderly lady with three items, so we chose that one and got behind her. Big mistake! By the time we got to the cash register, the restauranteur had completed his purchase, parked his cart, went over to get a hotdog and then sat down to eat it. The next person in his line had already gone through as well. The conversation in our line went something like this:

Cashier: 'You could save 5 percent if you sign up for our credit card.'

Lady: 'Oh yes, I have been meaning to get one of those.'

Cashier: 'Great! Then fill out this form.'

Lady: 'Ok. Do you have a pen?'

(Slowly scratches on the paper for a while with the pen.)

Cashier: 'I see that your membership is going to expire in six months, would you like us to go ahead and renew it?'

Lady: 'Oh yes, I almost forgot about that. Let's renew it.'

Cashier: 'We offer an extended warranty on that toaster for $4.99. Would you like to add that on as well?'

Lady: 'I guess it is better to be safe than sorry.'

(At this point she turned and smiled at us.)

Cashier: 'Excellent, just fill out this registration card for me.'

(More slow scratching on the paper')

By the end, it took so long that I was struggling to not laugh out loud at the absurdity of the scene. We could have gone to another store, shopped, and been checked out faster than people remaining in that line. We had clearly been chosen for a test. I tried hard to bite my tongue and laugh it off, really hard. I could feel something inside me screaming, but as I refused to react, it slowly died, and then the peace of God came.

So if you have to stand in a checkout line today, and the cashier is completely incompetent, and the people are digging through their purse for coupons, and that line has not moved in thirty minutes: Try to smile, be kind, be rich in love, and be glad that you are not the one that all of those angry people are looking at. Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

As a Child of the King, you are carrying the Lord's name with you, wherever you go. People watch you, and your actions speak much louder than your words. Try to live a life that gives glory to God and does not bring disgrace on His family. Do not give His enemies a chance to blaspheme His name as David did (2 Samuel 12:14). Remember that what you feed in your life will grow, and what you starve will die.

Prayer: Heavenly Father I thank You for loving me and ask that You help me love others as well. Help me see the big picture. Please walk with me today and help me make the right decisions. Put a guard over my mouth, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!

Note: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chron 7:14) ~ If you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network

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