There are moments in life that test our patience, often in the most unexpected ways. I recently found myself in one of those moments, not on a challenging ten-mile hike or in a long checkout line, but in the middle of a small town’s antique tractor parade.
I was on my normal route to work and noticed a few tractors were on the county highway just ahead of me. I slowed down and thought I could pass them but alas, a no passing zone was approaching. There were actually about 30 or so tractors ahead of me, moving very slowly. I reluctantly assumed a tractor’s pace and fell into the line.
Initially, a wave of annoyance washed over me. I had places to be and a schedule to keep. My hands gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, and a sigh of exasperation escaped my lips. But within 10 minutes, the old tractors and their exuberant riders turned off on a gravel road and I was able to resume my normal pace.
As I continued my morning commute I had this thought – my first tractor parade was actually kind of fun! And just like in our often busy, event filled lives, we need to slow down on occasion and smell the roses – or should I say, smell the diesel fuel!
The Bible often speaks of patience as a virtue. Proverbs 14:29 says, “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” It’s a powerful lesson that’s easy to forget in our fast-paced world. Being stuck in that tractor parade became a gentle nudge to practice what I know to be true patience is not just about waiting, but about how we wait. It’s about finding grace in the pauses and understanding that some things are beyond our control. I may have arrived at the radio station a little later than planned, but I left with a new-found appreciation for a simple parade and the profound power of patience.
So, remember that not everything in life happens on our schedule. Instead of getting upset or making a hasty decision, take a deep breath and appreciate the unique event unfolding before you. It just might be best to open God’s Word and wait for the next step He wants you to take.
by Doug Johnson