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Written by Larry Ollison

Let me give you the definition of a patient man. A patient man walks and talks the same way all the time. He walks like God and he talks like God.

When you are in church and look around the auditorium, depending on the size of your church, you may see 25 or 2,500 people. One thing you will notice about these people is that they all look happy, they all look well dressed and they all look patient.

If the sermon is short and sweet, or if the sermon is long and dull, most people still look the same. They look happy and patient. However, when they leave the church and the car door closes, the true inner self shines forth.

A few weeks ago one of the young girls in my church wanted to have a conversation with her pastor. I would guess that she is approximately twelve or thirteen years old. When my secretary brought her into my office, I had a short prayer with her and asked her what I could do for her.

She asked me what the definition of schizophrenia was. Without trying to get into too much detail, I gave her the generic layman's definition about how it's a person with a split personality. When I asked her why she wanted to know what schizophrenia meant, she replied, "My parents are both infected with it."

I know this girl's parents and as far as I knew, they were normal, well-rounded people in the community that provided a good home for their children. They worked hard in life and were currently working hard in the church in various capacities.

So I asked the young lady this. I said, "What makes you think they have this problem?" She said, "Mom and Dad act so nice to everyone in the church and treat them like their good friends, but when we get in the car to go home after church, they talk about everybody and how they don't like anybody."

God is consistent and we must be like Him (Eph. 5:1). God is the God of peace, contentment and patience and God is consistent in His character.

Patience is an attribute that must be active in the Christian lifestyle. Developing patience requires consistency. Consistency requires discipline and discipline requires obedience.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience" (James 1:2-3).

Larry Ollison Ministries
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