“You are different”.
I arrived at Bangalore airport to catch my flight to Myanmar. I noticed no one was in the queue, instead they were a giant mass of people pressed against the counters and speaking with the gate agents. I did not know what was happening so I asked someone. Their response was simply two words, “Flight canceled”.
No one wants to hear those words when you arrive at the airport. I could feel the temptation to press myself forward to a gate agent and take care of my need for a new flight. I could also sense God inviting me to trust Him, to be patient. I choose to be patient. The chaos continued and I watched from a place of peace.
After an hour a woman looked at me and said loudly, “You should win the patience award. You have so much peace.”
I was shocked that she would see it and even more shocked that she would declare it. God wants us to be seen as lights in the darkness. When we choose patience, we look different in the midst of chaos. People see this and become curious.
Shortly after that a man approached me and said, “I am amazed at you. I have been watching you because you are different. You are calm and have peace. Do you meditate?”
I said, “Actually I do.”
This opened the door for me to discuss with Tony the power of Love and that we can choose it. When we choose love it leads us towards life and transformation. He said, “I see this is very real in you and I am drawn to it. I would like to know more.”
We continued talking and Tony stood with me while the agent worked on my flight. During that time several men approached the agent and interrupted several times. My new friend, Tony, watched and could not believe how I did not get angry or even slightly ruffled. I just smiled at him while people lived in their chaos.
“There really is something powerful about you and I truly want to know more.”
We spoke for several more hours and Tony finally asked, “Are you a Christian?”
Oh my heart jumped for joy because this moment validated the truth of Jesus' words when He said, “All men will know you are my disciples if you love”. Tony did not ask if I was muslim, or Hindu, or Buddhist - he wanted to know if I was a Christian!
As we continued our conversation Tony wanted to receive Christ and follow Him. We prayed together and then we parted ways. I returned to the US and Tony returned home to Taiwan.
Today Tony follows Jesus with all this heart and is even leading people to Christ. He is showing people the way of PEACE just as he learned from me. The practice of patience is no small thing. Here is a man transformed by seeing Peace in me when others were full of chaos and anger.
He shows his wife and daughter the power of peace and they enjoy his life because of this great care over them. He shelters them with peace.
Here is his wife and beautiful daughter.
And this is his disciple who is learning how to be a man of peace.
The power of patience is so underestimated by many Christians and the enemy steals so much from us due to our fear that if we are patient then nothing good will come to us. This lie tells us to not wait but go get what you want NOW. People need peace in our chaotic world. Shine God’s peace as you practice patience today.
